Parliament winter session begins Dec 1: From voter lists to nuclear power and AQI, key issues likely to set agenda

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”.

The government, however, asserts that the SIR is a routine, constitutionally mandated exercise conducted by the independent Election Commission of India (ECI). The NDA government led by PM Narendra Modi has not committed to a discussion on the SIR, as per news agencies. Even at the Business Advisory Committee (BAC) meetings, opposition leaders said they want Parliament to function by starting a discussion on SIR at 2 pm, but the government did not agree.

Delhi blast: Question of national security

Another matter that the opposition parties insisted on debating is national security after the recent blast by an alleged terror racket near Red Fort in Delhi. The Congress demanded a detailed, full-day discussion on the state of internal security, perceived lapses in intelligence and law enforcement, and a review of the government’s foreign policy challenges.

While the government reportedly said it is prepared to discuss security under parliamentary rules, it is expected to resist any attempts to turn the debate into a critique of its day-to-day actions.

AQI to raise temperatures in Parliament

The pervasive crisis of air pollution gripping northern India, particularly the national capital Delhi, is slated to be a major theme too. MPs from affected states, particularly those in the National Capital Region, will push hard for discussions on the inadequacy of current environmental measures.

Members are expected to demand a concrete, time-bound, and nationally coordinated action plan to manage hazardous air quality. Related issues like paddy stubble burning, industrial emissions, and vehicle pollution, are likely to come up too.

Vande Mataram gets pride of place

On the ideological front, the Modi government has scheduled a special discussion on the national song ‘Vande Mataram’ to mark its 150th anniversary. The debate, which intends to bring the full original text of the song before the House, is expected to quickly devolve into an intense ideological exchange.

Ruling party leaders have said the 1937 decision to remove certain lines of the song “sowed the seeds of Partition”. Congress and others have called this issue a diversion from real-world problems.

On the legislative agenda

Beyond the political sparring, the government is prioritising a heavy slate of economic and financial bills. Several key proposed legislations are lined up. Among these, amendments to the Atomic Energy Bill 2025 aim to open the nuclear power-generation sector to private investment, which the government sees as an essential step for scaling up non-fossil fuel energy and meeting climate change targets.

Similarly, the Insurance Laws (Amendment) Bill 2025 seeks to draw global capital by potentially removing or substantially raising the existing 74% cap on Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in the sector. Changes to the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) Amendment Bill 2025 are intended to strengthen creditor rights and speed up the resolution of insolvency cases, reported news agency PTI.