Home › Business › Ajit Pawar’s Death: Will the Budget...

Ajit Pawar’s Death: Will the Budget Date Change? Know asap

Sweta Mitra

January 28, 2026 at 1:40 PM IST · 2 min read

Ajit Pawar Death: The Union Budget for 2026 is scheduled to be presented in Parliament on February 1 (Sunday), which is just four days away, following the tragic death of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar in a plane crash in Baramati. However, is it possible to change the Budget date after a minister’s passing? According to parliamentary traditions and constitutional guidelines, it is very unlikely that the date for the Union Budget will be altered due to Pawar’s death.

Looking back at the precedent set in 2017 (E. Ahamed): The most notable instance occurred on February 1, 2017, when E. Ahamed, a sitting Lok Sabha MP and former Union Minister, died mere hours before the Budget was to be presented. Even though it is customary to adjourn the House for the death of a sitting member, the Speaker determined that presenting the Union Budget is a constitutional duty that cannot be delayed. Thus, the Budget was delivered as planned.

PM Surya App: Now Apply Online to Install Rooftop Solar Panels at Home Read More → FASTag Scam Alert: NHAI Warns Against Fake Websites and Fraudulent QR Codes Read More →

Ajit Pawar was a member of the State Legislative Assembly (MLA) and held the position of Deputy Chief Minister, but he was not a sitting member of the Lok Sabha. Typically, Parliament only adjourns for the death of a sitting member from that particular House. While the passing of a state leader is indeed sorrowful, it does not procedurally interrupt the operations of the Union Parliament.

Given that the tragedy occurred on January 28, with the Budget set for February 1, there is a considerable time frame. Even if the government announces State or National Mourning, such observances usually entail lowering flags to half-mast and cancelling official events, but they do not require the closure of Parliament or the delay of essential financial matters like the Budget.

Constitutional Requirement

The presentation of the Union Budget is essential to ensure that financial allocations are sanctioned before the commencement of the new financial year (April 1). Delaying it would involve intricate logistical and procedural challenges that the government typically avoids unless faced with an overwhelming crisis impacting the central government itself.