The winter session of Parliament is scheduled to be held from December 1 to 19, 2025, a period that the opposition has described as unusually truncated. The announcement, made by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Saturday, has already drawn criticism from opposition leaders who allege the government is avoiding debate on key national issues. President Droupadi Murmu has approved the proposal to convene the session.
Rijiju expressed his hope for a "constructive and meaningful session" that would strengthen democracy and serve the people's aspirations. However, the opposition has voiced concerns over the session's brevity, with only 15 sittings planned.
Opposition leaders have accused the government of "Parliament-ophobia," suggesting a reluctance to face parliamentary scrutiny. Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Derek O'Brien stated that the Modi government is afraid of discussions on unemployment, federalism and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. O'Brien pointed out the decreasing average of sittings per session, noting a significant drop from 45 days during the first Lok Sabha in 1952 to the current average of 17 days. He also criticized the government for seemingly avoiding a session around Constitution Day on November 26.
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh also questioned the timing and duration of the session, describing it as unusually delayed and truncated. Ramesh noted that Parliament is normally convened between November 20 and December 24. He further stated that the opposition plans to raise several issues, including unemployment, the economy, the SIR issue, and the Prime Minister's silence on Donald Trump's recent mediation claims on India-Pakistan ties.
The session is expected to be contentious, particularly with the backdrop of the Election Commission's Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in 12 States and Union Territories. This exercise has already faced objections from several opposition parties, and led to disruptions during the Monsoon session of Parliament.
The tone for the Winter session may also be influenced by the results of the Bihar Assembly elections on November 14. Furthermore, several opposition parties are likely to question the government on claims made by US President Donald Trump regarding his role in de-escalating tensions between India and Pakistan over trade, following India's 'Operation Sindoor'.
The upcoming session will also mark the debut of Vice-President C P Radhakrishnan as the chairman of Rajya Sabha, following his election in September.
