Budget 2026: Will Sitharaman Present on Sunday, Feb 1?

• Budget 2026's presentation date is uncertain as February 1, 2026, falls on a Sunday, raising questions about a potential deferral to February 2.
• Since 2017, India's Union Budget has consistently been presented on February 1, a shift from the earlier tradition of the last working day of February.
• News agency PTI suggests Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is likely to present the budget on Sunday, February 1, adhering to parliamentary conventions.
• CNBC-TV18 reports the government is inclined to maintain the February 1 date, with budget preparations proceeding on this assumption.
• Presenting the budget on a weekend is not unprecedented; Nirmala Sitharaman did so in 2025, and Arun Jaitley in 2015 and 2016.

Why It Matters: Uncertainty surrounds Budget 2026's Sunday presentation, but precedents and government inclination point to Feb 1.