Bills, Blasts and a Battle for Narrative: What Awaits Inside the House Today?

The Winter Session of Parliament opens today, setting the stage for two weeks of intense political confrontation. With just 15 sittings scheduled, it is one of the shortest winter sessions in recent years — a move that has drawn sharp criticism from the Opposition, which argues that the truncated schedule undermines legislative scrutiny and democratic debate.

Government Lines Up 14 Bills; Opposition Prepares to Push Back

The government is expected to introduce 14 Bills during the session, including proposals related to atomic energy, reforms in the higher education sector, and new taxes on tobacco and pan masala products.
However, Opposition parties insist that the House must first address the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and the recent Delhi blast that killed 15 people, saying concerns over national security and electoral transparency demand immediate attention.

Parties such as the Congress and the DMK have accused the government of attempting to “sideline democracy” by compressing the session and pushing through key legislation without adequate debate. They also intend to raise wider issues including inflation, unemployment, air pollution, foreign policy, and what they describe as delays in clearing state-passed Bills.

Rijiju: Government Ready for Discussion ‘As Per Rules’

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju has maintained that the government is willing to discuss any issue within the framework of parliamentary rules. The final working agenda will be decided by the Business Advisory Committee, he said, emphasising the need for the session to run smoothly.

Debate on Vande Mataram Likely to Trigger Heated Reactions

Another point of contention is the government’s plan to hold a special discussion on Vande Mataram to mark the 150th anniversary of its composition. While the Trinamool Congress has expressed support for the discussion, most other Opposition parties appeared reluctant during the all-party meeting.
The Lok Sabha has earmarked 10 hours for this debate, with the date expected to be announced shortly.

NDA Buoyed by Bihar Victory; Congress Finalises Strategy

Buoyed by its win in the Bihar Assembly elections, the ruling NDA is expected to push aggressively for the passage of its legislative agenda.
Meanwhile, senior Congress leaders — including Sonia Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge, and Rahul Gandhi — met on Sunday night to chalk out strategy. Another meeting is scheduled ahead of the opening day of the session.

The Winter Session will continue until December 19, and despite its short duration, it is set to deliver sharp exchanges and a politically charged atmosphere inside Parliament.

Key Bills on Fiscal and Security Frameworks to Be Introduced

As proceedings begin, the Lok Sabha is poised to take up major financial and security-related legislation.

FM Sitharaman to Introduce Central Excise (Amendment) Bill, 2025

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will seek permission to introduce the Central Excise (Amendment) Bill, 2025, which aims to update provisions of the Central Excise Act, 1944. The amendments are intended to modernise mechanisms for levying and collecting excise duty on manufactured products.

Health Security and National Security Cess Bill on Agenda

Sitharaman will also introduce the Health Security and National Security Cess Bill, 2025. The Bill proposes a cess on certain machinery or processes used in manufacturing specified goods. The additional revenue will be channelled towards public health programmes and national security initiatives.

Red Fort Blast Case: NIA Raids 8 Locations in J&K

In a parallel development, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) is conducting searches across eight locations in Jammu and Kashmir as part of its probe into the November 10 Delhi blast near the Red Fort, which claimed 15 lives.
The raids are aimed at gathering evidence and identifying individuals linked to the terror attack, as investigators intensify efforts to uncover the network behind the incident.