The Winter Session of the Rajya Sabha commenced today, marking the 269th session of the upper house. The session is scheduled to run until December 19th and will consist of 15 sittings. A key focus of the opening day was the welcoming of the new Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, C. P. Radhakrishnan, who assumed office as the Vice President of India on September 12, 2025.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the Parliament, extending a warm welcome to C.P. Radhakrishnan on his first day presiding over the Rajya Sabha. This session marks Radhakrishnan's first time leading the Upper House since becoming Vice President.
The session began with obituary references to former members of parliament, including Col. (Retd.) Sona Ram Choudhary, Vijay Kumar Malhotra, Ravi Naik, and actor-turned-politician Dharmendra.
Several key bills are slated for introduction, consideration, and passing during this winter session. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is expected to introduce the Central Excise (Amendment) Bill, 2025, which aims to amend the Central Excise Act of 1944. Sitharaman is also scheduled to introduce the Health Security and National Security Cess Bill, 2025, purposed to raise funds for national security and public health initiatives by levying a cess on the machinery and processes used to manufacture certain goods. The Lok Sabha has allocated six hours for discussion on the Health Security and National Security Cess Bill.
The Manipur Goods and Services Tax (Second Amendment) Bill, 2025 is also slated for introduction, with a three-hour discussion window.
Other legislative proposals likely to be taken up during the session include:
- The Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2025
- The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (Amendment) Bill, 2025
- The Repealing and Amending Bill, 2025
- The National Highways (Amendment) Bill, 2025
- The Atomic Energy Bill, 2025
- The Corporate Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2025
- The Securities Markets Code Bill, 2025
- The Insurance Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2025
- The Arbitration and Conciliation (Amendment) Bill, 2025
- The Higher Education Commission of India Bill, 2025
The session is also expected to address financial matters, including the presentation, discussion, and voting on the first batch of Supplementary Demands for Grants for 2025-26, along with the introduction, consideration, and passing (or return) of the related Appropriation Bill.
Prior to the commencement of the session, various political parties strategized their approach. Top Congress leaders, including President Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi, met to discuss the party's strategy, deciding to push for a debate on electoral reforms, including the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. Opposition MPs have also requested answers from the government on key issues such as new labor laws, Delhi's AQI problem, security concerns after a blast near the Red Fort, border talks with China, and whether LIC has invested in the Adani Group.
The Winter Session is poised to be a busy period, with the government focused on pushing its legislative agenda and the opposition keen to raise critical issues of public concern.
