Union Budget 2026: When a 1950 leak prompted authorities to shift printing to Minto Road

As India prepares for Union Budget 2026, it is worth revisiting a lesser-known episode from the country’s early years—one that permanently changed how the Union Budget is printed and safeguarded. In 1950, just three years after Independence, a budget leak triggered alarm within the government and led to a major shift in protocol, moving budget printing to Minto Road in New Delhi, where it remains to this day.

Until then, the Union Budget was printed at the Rashtrapati Bhavan Press, a facility considered secure enough for sensitive government documents. However, ahead of the 1950 Budget, details of the financial proposals were reportedly leaked before the official presentation in Parliament. Though the exact source of the leak was never publicly confirmed, it raised serious concerns about confidentiality at a time when India’s economic framework was still taking shape.

The breach forced authorities to act swiftly. To prevent any future compromise, the government decided to move the printing of the Union Budget to a more controlled and isolated location—the Government of India Press at Minto Road. This shift also led to the introduction of stricter security measures, including restricted access, sealed premises, and the now-famous “lock-in” tradition, where officials involved in budget printing remain cut off from the outside world until Budget Day.

The incident marked a turning point in how India treated budget secrecy. What followed was a set of protocols that elevated the Union Budget to one of the most tightly guarded documents in the country. Over the decades, these measures have evolved, but the core principles—confidentiality, physical isolation, and controlled communication—have remained intact.

Even today, despite advancements in digital technology, the Budget continues to be printed at Minto Road, reflecting the lasting impact of the 1950 leak. The tradition serves as a reminder of how a single lapse reshaped administrative practices and reinforced the importance of secrecy in financial governance.

As Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman prepares to present the Union Budget 2026, the story of the 1950 leak stands as a historic footnote—one that quietly but decisively influenced how India protects one of its most important policy documents.