As a standard procedure, budgets are tabled on February 1 at 11 am, but this year reminds us of a time when the government preponed or postponed the budget presentation based on the date falling on a weekend, especially on Sundays
The first day of February is earmarked for the budget presentation in the Indian Parliament each year. This year, February 1 falls on a Sunday, and like any other place of business, weekends are usually off for members of parliament, meaning that no session is conducted on Saturdays and Sundays.
As a standard procedure, budgets are tabled on February 1 at 11 am, but this year reminds us of a time when the government preponed or postponed the budget presentation based on the date falling on a weekend, especially on Sundays.
In 2017, the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government shifted the budget date to February 1 from the earlier practice of tabling the bill on the last day of February.
History of how budget dates have shifted over the years
In 1999, February 28 was a Sunday. Yashwant Sinha presented the budget on February 27, which was a Saturday.
During the early years of the Republic, India presented its 1953 Union Budget on February 27, a Friday, a day earlier than the normal February 28 schedule.
The next Union Budget also came on Saturday, February 27, in 1954.
Early, the first February Union Budget after Independence was presented in 1948 on February 28. It was Saturday. The Budget presentation went as scheduled.
Here is a list of some other budget presentation days that fell on Saturdays:
February 28, 1948
February 27, 1954
February 28, 1959
February 29, 1964
February 27, 1965
February 28, 1970
May 15, 1976
February 28, 1981
February 27, 1982
March 16, 1985
February 28, 1987
February 29, 1992
February 27, 1993
February 27, 1999
February 28, 2015
February 1, 2020
February 1, 2025
Will the date be changed this year?
Sources have told the Economic Times that while the budget session of the Parliament will begin on January 28, the bill will be tabled on February 1 as usual. A final decision, however, will be made by the Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs, chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.
A senior government official has told the outlet that the Centre is inclined to retain the February 1 date for the Budget presentation despite it being a holiday, signalling an emphasis on continuity and predictability in fiscal processes.
The first phase of the session is expected to last about three weeks and will feature discussion on the President’s address, presentation of the Union Budget, debates on budgetary proposals and the introduction of the Finance Bill. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to reply to the debate on the President’s address.
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