The Winter Session of Parliament commenced today with significant legislative business and political tensions already emerging. The session marks the 6th sitting of the 18th Lok Sabha and the 269th Session of the Rajya Sabha, beginning at 11 am amid expectations of heated debates and crucial bill introductions.
Key Legislative Agenda
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is expected to introduce the Central Excise (Amendment) Bill, 2025, which aims to modernize the decades-old Central Excise Act of 1944. This proposed legislation represents a significant update to India's taxation framework for manufactured goods.
Another crucial proposal is the Health Security se National Security Cess Bill, 2025, designed to generate additional financial resources for national security and public health initiatives. The bill proposes imposing a cess on machinery and processes involved in manufacturing specified goods. The Lok Sabha has allocated six hours for discussing this important legislation, indicating its priority status.
The government has also listed the Manipur GST (Second Amendment) Bill, 2025 for introduction, with a three-hour debate window scheduled. Overall, the government has identified 13 bills for consideration during this session, several of which haven't undergone standing committee scrutiny.
Political Tensions and Opposition Demands
Opposition parties have already signaled potential disruptions unless their concerns are addressed. The Samajwadi Party has threatened to stall proceedings if discussions aren't held on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. Party leader Ram Gopal Yadav emphasized that "We will not allow the House to function if discussion is not held on SIR," citing alleged irregularities in voter list revisions.
The Congress party has accused the government of attempting to undermine democratic traditions. Congress deputy leader Gaurav Gogoi stated that the party is demanding debates on national security, air pollution, voter list integrity, farmers' issues, and foreign policy matters.
Meanwhile, YSRCP president Jagan Mohan Reddy has instructed his party's MPs to highlight the severe distress facing Andhra Pradesh farmers following Cyclone Montha and falling Minimum Support Prices for key crops.
Session Proceedings and Schedule
The day began with obituary references to four former MPs: Col. (Retd.) Sona Ram Choudhary, Vijay Kumar Malhotra, Ravi Naik, and actor-turned-politician Dharmendra. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to address the media at 10 am at Hans Dwar, Parliament House, setting the tone for the session's legislative priorities.
The Winter Session, which runs from December 1 to December 19, 2025, will feature 15 sittings in total. Opposition parties have described this as a "short session" compared to the typical 20 sittings in regular parliamentary sessions.
Among other significant bills listed for consideration are the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2025; the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (Amendment) Bill, 2025; the National Highways (Amendment) Bill, 2025; and the Atomic Energy Bill, 2025, along with reforms in corporate, insurance, securities, and higher education laws.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju expressed hope for smooth functioning, stating that "Parliament should not be stalled and it should function smoothly" following constructive discussions at Sunday's all-party meeting attended by Defense Minister Rajnath Singh and BJP President JP Nadda.
