Parliament Winter Session: Delhi Blasts, SIR, 14 Bills And More On The Agenda

The Winter Session of Parliament, beginning Monday, is set for a packed legislative agenda, with the Centre preparing to push key reforms, including a landmark proposal to allow private participation in India’s civil nuclear sector, while the opposition readies to raise concerns over the revision of electoral rolls across 12 states and Union territories.

The three-week session opens in the aftermath of the BJP-led NDA’s sweeping victory in the Bihar Assembly elections, a political boost that is expected to strengthen the government’s hand after the largely stalled Monsoon Session.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju, who met floor leaders of various parties from both Houses earlier in the day, said he hoped for a constructive and disruption-free session. He urged MPs to maintain composure and “work with a cool head” during the Winter Session. “Debate is central to Parliament. I hope there will be no disturbances. A calm approach will help the nation and ensure the session runs smoothly,” he told reporters.

A meeting of the Business Advisory Committee is scheduled for Sunday evening, followed by separate sittings of the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha committees later in the week to finalise the agenda.

The Bills On Table

At the heart of the government’s legislative plans is the introduction of the Atomic Energy Bill, 2025—a significant move aimed at enabling private-sector participation in India’s civil nuclear ecosystem while strengthening regulatory oversight and ensuring safe, peaceful use of atomic energy.

Also on the table is the Higher Education Commission of India Bill, 2025, which seeks to create a centralised regulator for universities and higher education institutions. The proposed commission would promote institutional autonomy, overhaul accreditation systems, and introduce stricter quality benchmarks across academic programmes.

A series of other bills, spanning economic, corporate, and administrative reforms, are listed for introduction or passage. These include the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2025; the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (Amendment) Bill, 2025; the Manipur Goods and Services Tax (Second Amendment) Bill, 2025 to replace an ordinance; the Repealing and Amending Bill, 2025; and the National Highways (Amendment) Bill, 2025, which aims to expedite land acquisition for highway projects through more transparent processes.

The government is also expected to table the Corporate Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2025, introducing changes to the Companies Act, 2013, and LLP Act, 2008; the Securities Markets Code Bill, 2025, which will unify the legal framework governing securities markets; the Insurance Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2025; the Arbitration and Conciliation (Amendment) Bill, 2025, which proposes updates to Section 34 in line with recent Supreme Court observations; the Central Excise (Amendment) Bill, 2025; and the Health Security & National Security Cess Bill, 2025.

The government recently withdrew its plan to empower the President to directly issue regulations for the Union Territory of Chandigarh following objections from several parties, highlighting the political sensitivities surrounding federal coordination.

Officials from the Law Ministry noted that proposed changes to Section 34 of the arbitration law, as well as recent Supreme Court observations on the liabilities of company directors, have been referred to a committee for further review.

Two bills pending from the previous session have been listed for consideration and passage. The first supplementary Budget for the financial year is also expected to be taken up.

Conversation On Delhi Blast

The Opposition demanded detailed discussions during the session and raised concerns over the government’s handling of key national matters. The Opposition sought debates on national security in the wake of the recent Delhi blast, the “SIR” issue, rising air pollution, farmers’ concerns, safeguarding democracy and foreign policy developments.

Congress deputy leader in the Lok Sabha Gaurav Gogoi said the party raised these issues at the meeting and insisted that Parliament must debate them. “It seems the government, under the leadership of the prime minister and the home minister, is looking to finish off India’s democracy and parliamentary traditions,” he said. Gogoi added that the Opposition wanted a discussion on national security, especially after the Delhi blast, and on “ensuring the purity of the voter list”. He also flagged economic security, saying farmers were still not receiving

The Winter Session will conclude on December 19.