Lok Sabha: Key measures are enacted amid intense arguments as the Lok Sabha’s winter session comes to a conclusion
Lok Sabha: The 19-day Winter Session of Parliament, which witnessed the approval of important measures including one to abolish the 20-year-old MNREGA and another to open up the civil nuclear industry for private engagement, came to an end on Friday when the Lok Sabha was adjourned sine die.
During the Winter Session, 92 hours and 25 minutes were spent sitting down. Speaker Om Birla gave a short farewell speech as soon as the House convened for the day, stating that the Lok Sabha’s productivity during the session was 111% and that members had stayed up late to debate important legislation.
He concluded the short session that began on December 1 by adjourning the House sine die, or for an undetermined amount of time.
Some members were heard shouting “Mahatma Gandhi ki jai” when Birla delivered his last remarks. When the proceedings were adjourned, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was in attendance. The House engaged in two contentious discussions during the 15 sessions of the Winter Session: one on electoral changes and the other on the 150 years of Vande Matram. To mark the 150th anniversary of the national hymn, the prime minister had started a conversation.
65 members of the House participated in the 11-hour, 32-minute discussion. Congress politician Priyanka Gandhi was supposed to start a discussion on air pollution, but it was canceled. The government clarified that the poll panel and its operations cannot be discussed in the House and agreed to hold a debate on election reforms in place of the opposition’s insistence on a debate on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the voter list in 12 states and Union Territories.
Sixty-three MPs participated in the roughly thirteen-hour discussion on the problem. However, SIR, the new legislation pertaining to the nomination of the chief election commissioner and election commissioners and the “vote chori” problem were the main targets of the opposition’s attacks on the administration. During the session, eight pieces of legislation were passed.
The VB-G RAM G Bill, also known as the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin), was enacted on Thursday amid opposition demonstrations that included paper ripping. The bill guarantees rural India work for 125 days. The session also saw the passing of the Sustainable Harnessing and Advancement of Nuclear Energy for Transforming India (SHANTI) Bill, which aims to allow private involvement in the strictly regulated civil nuclear industry.
A measure to increase foreign direct investment (FDI) in the insurance industry from 74% to 100% was also approved by the Lok Sabha. It is anticipated to improve job creation, reduce rates, and enhance insurance penetration.
One day after the Lok Sabha passed the Sabka Bima Sabki Raksha (Amendment of Insurance Laws) Bill, 2025, the Rajya Sabha approved it by a voice vote.
Additionally, the Lower House approved a bill to abolish six major laws and 65 amending acts that were no longer relevant.
A joint committee of the two Houses was tasked with reviewing the Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhisthan Bill, 2025, which aims to establish a higher education authority. In order to regulate, accredit, and guarantee academic standards for Indian universities and other higher education institutions, it aims to create three councils and an overall higher education commission.