Why earlier Budgets were presented at 5 pm

Until 1999, the Union Budget was presented at 5 pm on the final day of February, aligning with a colonial-era practice.

Yashwant Sinha, the Finance Minister in Vajpayee-led NDA govt, proposed a shift to 11 am for a more comprehensive analysis of the numbers.

In that period, the Budget was presented in Britain at 11 am (local time), which corresponded to 5 pm in India. Since the change, it has been presented at 11 am every year.

Following the approval, Sinha became the first FM to present it at 11 am in the history of Independent India. Since then, the Union Budget has been presented at 11 am every year.