New Delhi: The Winter Session of Parliament will begin today and will run until 19 December, with 15 sittings scheduled over the 19-day period. The government has lined up a heavy legislative agenda, with at least 13 bills set to be taken up, even as the Opposition prepares to push hard for debates on the SIR issue, national security and other pending matters.
Among the key proposals are the Central Excise (Amendment) Bill, 2025 and the Health Security and National Security Cess Bill, 2025, which Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is expected to move in the Lok Sabha. The two bills aim to replace the existing GST compensation cess on “sin goods” such as tobacco and pan masala with a revised excise framework that keeps tax incidence high while creating a more predictable revenue stream for national security and public health spending.
The Health Security and National Security Cess Bill, 2025 proposes a cess on specified machinery and processes used in the manufacture of certain goods, with the stated objective of augmenting resources for national security and health expenditure. The move signals a shift towards more targeted funding mechanisms for these sectors, linking additional revenue directly to activities associated with high-risk or harmful products.
Several other important bills are also listed for the session, including the National Highways (Amendment) Bill, the Atomic Energy Bill, the Corporate Laws (Amendment) Bill, the Insurance Laws (Amendment) Bill and the Higher Education Commission of India Bill, 2025. The Atomic Energy Bill is expected to attract close scrutiny, as it could open space for private companies to establish nuclear power plants, significantly altering India’s traditionally state-dominated nuclear power framework.
Beyond legislation, Parliament will consider and vote on the first batch of Supplementary Demands for Grants for 2025–26, a key step in revising government expenditure mid-year. The financial business is expected to run alongside debates on key policy questions, depending on the level of disruption in both Houses.
Opposition parties have made it clear they will demand an immediate and comprehensive discussion on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and have warned that disruptions may be unavoidable if the government does not agree. They also intend to raise issues linked to national security in the wake of the recent Delhi blast, as well as labour codes, the role of Governors and pending dues to states, setting the stage for a potentially stormy session.
The government has indicated its willingness to cooperate on legislative business and has also proposed commemorating the 150th year of “Vande Mataram” during the session. How the commemorative plans proceed amid Opposition protests over SIR and security concerns will determine how smooth or contentious the Winter Session ultimately becomes.
(Inputs from IANS)