Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will introduce two key bills in the Lok Sabha on Monday as the Winter Session of Parliament begins. The session, which runs until December 19, will have 15 sittings and a packed legislative agenda.
The government has listed 14 items of legislative and financial business for the session.
On Monday, the Central Excise (Amendment) Bill, 2025, which seeks to update the Central Excise Act, 1944, and the Health Security se National Security Cess Bill, 2025 will be introduced. The latter proposes a cess on machinery or processes used to manufacture specified goods, aimed at raising additional resources for national security and public health.
In addition to these bills, the Winter Session will take up several other important legislative proposals,, including 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; the National Highways (Amendment) Bill, 2025; the Corporate Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2025; the Securities Markets Code (SMC) Bill, 2025; the Insurance Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2025; the Arbitration and Conciliation (Amendment) Bill, 2025; and the Higher Education Commission of India Bill, 2025.
Ahead of the session, the government convened a meeting of floor leaders from various political parties on Sunday at the Parliament House Complex. The meeting, chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and convened by Parliamentary Affairs and Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju, saw participation from 50 leaders representing 36 parties. Union Health Minister and Leader of the House in the Rajya Sabha J.P. Nadda, MoS (Independent Charge) for Law and Justice Arjun Ram Meghwal, and MoS for Parliamentary Affairs and Information and Broadcasting L. Murugan were among those present.
Rijiju said the government is prepared to take up any issue raised by political parties within parliamentary rules. Leaders from several parties outlined topics they intend to raise and assured cooperation to ensure smooth functioning of both Houses.
On Monday, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla expressed hope that the Winter Session would be “productive and meaningful.”
In a post on X, he wrote: “Parliament is the highest platform for expressing the nation’s expectations, public aspirations, democratic values, and the collective responsibility of its representatives… Hope that all Hon’ble Members will uphold the healthy traditions of our democracy and, through their active participation, make this Session productive and meaningful.”