The winter session of Parliament begins on Monday, December 1, under the shadow of the controversial Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter rolls currently underway in 12 states after Bihar. Several opposition parties led by the Congress have united against it, threatening to stall proceedings in both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha if a discussion is not allowed on it.
How long is the session? The winter session has 15 sittings scheduled until December 19. The political friction, evident in the pre-session all-party meetings, suggests a session dominated by confrontation rather than consensus.
What are key themes for the Parliament’s winter session 2025?
Here’s a look at key issues and proposed legislations that may dominate the proceedings:
Special Intensive Revision or SIR: Debate or disruption?
The most immediate point of conflict is the SIR. Opposition parties, primarily the Congress, Bengal’s ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC), Uttar Pradesh’s Samajwadi Party, and Tamil Nadu’s DMK, are preparing an aggressive floor strategy, alleging that the SIR process — especially in states due for upcoming assembly elections — is “deeply flawed” and “politically motivated”.
Congress’s Rahul Gandhi, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, has been alleging an opaque deletion process and “manipulation to benefit the ruling BJP”.