Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will present the Union Budget 2026 in Parliament today at around 11 am, marking a rare departure from convention. This is the first time in at least a decade that the Union Budget is being presented on a Sunday. The schedule for the Budget presentation was confirmed earlier by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla.
Ninth Straight Budget, A Parliamentary Record
Union Budget 2026 will be Nirmala Sitharaman’s ninth consecutive Budget, a milestone unmatched in India’s parliamentary history. With this, she becomes the longest-serving finance minister in continuous office. Sitharaman assumed charge of the Finance Ministry on 31 May 2019 and completed six years and eight months in office by 31 January 2026.
Ahead of the Budget Session, Prime Minister Narendra Modi described the ninth consecutive Budget presentation as a moment of pride, underscoring the continuity and stability of India’s parliamentary and economic processes.
A Look at the Finance Minister’s Budget Legacy
While former Prime Minister Morarji Desai presented the Union Budget 10 times and P Chidambaram presented it nine times, neither achieved this feat in consecutive years. Other prominent finance ministers such as C D Deshmukh, Manmohan Singh, Pranab Mukherjee, Arun Jaitley, and Yashwant Sinha also handled the Budget multiple times, though their tenures were either shorter or marked by interruptions.
The distinction of being India’s first Finance Minister after Independence belongs to R K Shanmukham Chetty, who presented the country’s first Union Budget in 1947.
Where to Watch Union Budget 2026 Live
JurisHour will provide comprehensive live coverage of Union Budget 2026, including key policy announcements, tax proposals, legal implications, and expert insights, ensuring readers receive timely and in-depth updates throughout the Budget presentation.
The Finance Minister’s Budget speech will be broadcast and streamed live across several platforms. Viewers can watch the presentation on Sansad TV and DD News, as well as on Sansad TV’s official YouTube channel. Several digital platforms will also provide real-time coverage, analysis, and political reactions as the speech unfolds.
Accessing Budget Documents Digitally
All official Union Budget 2026 documents will be made available online after the conclusion of the Finance Minister’s speech. These include the Annual Financial Statement (Budget), Demands for Grants, and the Finance Bill. The documents can be accessed through the Union Budget mobile application and the Union Budget web portal (indiabudget.gov.in).
The mobile app, available in both English and Hindi on Android and iOS platforms, provides easy digital access to Members of Parliament and the general public.
Parliament Budget Session 2026 Schedule
The Budget Session of Parliament 2026 commenced on January 28 and is scheduled to conclude on April 2, 2026. The session will comprise a total of 30 sittings, divided into two parts—13 sittings in the first phase and 17 sittings in the second phase.
A recess has been scheduled from February 13 to March 9, 2026. During this period, the Standing Committees of Parliament will scrutinize the Demands for Grants of various ministries and departments and submit their reports for further parliamentary consideration.
With expectations running high, Union Budget 2026 is set to be a closely watched exercise, shaping fiscal policy, economic priorities, and legislative direction for the year ahead.
Read More: JurisHour : Tax Law Daily Bulletin : January 31, 2026
