Parliament Winter Session 2025: Live Updates Day 10 – Both Houses Adjourn

Following Special Mentions, the Rajya Sabha adjourned, scheduled to meet at 11am on Monday, 15 December 2025. Meanwhile, the airfare discussion continued in Lok Sabha, with Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Rammohan addressing the House, before the House adjourned for the day.

The Lok Sabha moved onto Private Member Business, with INC MP Shafi Parambil proposing a resolution on 'Appropriate Measures to Regulate Airfare in the Country'. The Resolution urged the government to regulate airfare and cap maximum fares across specific routes, convene a joint meeting to discuss increasing airfare during vacation seasons, and establish a quasi-judicial body to regulate and monitor air tariff.

Meanwhile, Rajya Sabha continues deliberations on the education Resolution.

The Lok Sabha took up Matters of Urgent Public Importance before moving onto discussing Supplementary Demands for Grants. FM Sitharaman introduced The Appropriation (No. 4) Bill, 2025, in the House.

Both Houses reconvened with Lok Sabha proceeding with Zero Hour and Rajya Sabha taking up Private Members' Business. The agenda for the day lits Resolutions proposed by members.

RS Nominated Member Sudha Murty moved a Resolution on education reforms, urging the government to consider amending the Constitution to enforce free and compulsary Early Childhood Care and Education, improve Anganwadi services and education access, and further develop modes of education.

Both Houses of parliament adjourned. Lok Sabha adjourned amidst protests by opposition MPs, following a speech by BJP MP Anurag Thakur on the Madurai bench row. Thakur asked why Hindus were being barred from performing religous activities?

Rajya Sabha adjourned in the middle of Question Hour.

Lok Sabha reconvenes, starting with Papers to be Laid and proceeding with Zero Hour. LoP Rahul Gandhi raised the issue of air pollution as a matter of public importance, asking for a discussion on the issue.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju replied that government is ready to discuss the issue, and after some deliberation, the matter will be taken up for discussion. Gandhi added that the discussion should be constructive, rather than trying to establish blame or throw accusations.

Meanwhile, Rajya Sabha segues into Question Hour, beginning with a question on 'Availability of Minimum Support Price (MSP) to Farmers'.

Both houses of parliament began proceedings on Day 10 of the Winter Session of Parliament 2025. Lok Sabha adjourned after observing a moment of silance for former Speaker Shivraj Patil. Rajya Sabha commenced with Papers to be Laid before moving onto Zero Hour.

Meanwhile, LS LoP Rahul Gandhi chairs a review meeting with all Congress MPs.

The Lok Sabha on Thursday approved an extension for the Joint Parliamentary Committee examining the bills proposing simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha and state assemblies. Committee Chair P. P. Chaudhary moved the motion to extend the panel’s tenure until the first day of the last week of the 2026 Budget Session, and the House passed it by voice vote.

Formed in December last year, the committee has so far held consultations with constitutional experts, economists, and Law Commission Chair Dinesh Maheshwari as part of its deliberations.

The Lok Sabha was then adjourned till 11:00 AM tomorrow.

Rajya Sabha adjourns; discussions on electoral reforms to resume tomorrow at 11 AM

AAP MP Sanjay Singh on Thursday criticised the government over the SIR exercise, questioning whether it aims to correct the electoral roll or to target voters. He alleged that the exercise appears more focused on “vote chori” rather than properly updating the voter list.

He further referred to detention centre in Uttar Pradesh, highlighting the government’s repeated references to “ghuspaithiye” (illegal immigrants) without taking meaningful action.

On the issue of foreign nationals, Singh said that if any Bangladeshi, Pakistani, or Afghan individuals are found, they should be sent back to their home countries and emphasised that public funds should not be used to accommodate them or wasted on such matters.

Debate on electoral reforms began in the Rajya Sabha with leaders presenting sharply differing views. BJP MP Sudhanshu Trivedi said that India remains one of the world’s few truly vibrant democracies. TMC’s Dola Sen questioned how illegal immigrants enter India despite border control being under the Home Ministry, arguing that electoral rolls are being manipulated by excluding voters. DMK MP N.R. Elango highlighted flaws in the current legal framework and raised concerns over the transparency and design of EVMs, calling the present system far from fool-proof.

During the Rajya Sabha discussion marking 150 years of Vande Mataram, Leader of the House JP Nadda emphasised the song’s deep emotional and historical significance. Citing freedom fighter Khudiram Bose’s final words, he described Vande Mataram as a unifying mantra that inspired generations during the Independence movement. Responding to Congress leader Jairam Ramesh’s claim that the debate aimed to target former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, Nadda said the intention was not to defame anyone but to correct historical records.

Nadda argued that Vande Mataram never received the respect it deserved, and he held the leadership of the time responsible. He referred to a 1937 letter in which Nehru reportedly expressed concerns about some stanzas containing difficult words or ideas that might not align with the views of all communities. Mallikarjun Kharge questioned this point, noting that Nehru was not Prime Minister in 1937, to which Nadda replied that Nehru was then the Congress President and influenced decisions surrounding the song.

Quoting Congress Working Committee resolutions from 1937, Nadda said the party decided only the first two stanzas should be sung, citing objections from Muslim leaders. Opposition members protested, accusing him of misleading the House. Nadda then criticised the Congress for not granting Vande Mataram equal space during the Constituent Assembly debates, claiming Nehru did not consider it suitable as the national anthem or for orchestral performance abroad.

As tensions rose, Kharge asked whether the debate was truly about Vande Mataram or an attack on Nehru. Nadda responded that Congress had historically compromised India’s cultural ethos. He concluded by asserting that the discussion would be meaningful only when Vande Mataram is accorded the same honour as the National Anthem and the National Flag. Congress leader Jairam Ramesh countered by citing Dr. Rajendra Prasad’s 1950 statement that the national anthem and national song hold equal status.

Chaos broke out in the Rajya Sabha during the Winter Session as JP Nadda accused the Congress of failing to give due respect to Vande Mataram. Referring to past remarks by several Congress leaders, he questioned the party’s alleged disregard for the national song. His speech prompted sharp reactions from opposition members, including Mallikarjun Kharge and Jairam Ramesh. Nadda also criticised former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, alleging that he compromised the honour of Vande Mataram.

Question Hour ended in the Rajya Sabha, followed by J.P. Nadda concluding the discussion on 150 years of Vande Mataram. Nadda said the debate highlighted how deeply the song is connected to India’s history and emotions. He noted that Vande Mataram inspired countless freedom fighters and continues to evoke patriotism. Recalling its legacy, he said that when the British tried to impose God Save the Queen in schools, Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay’s Vande Mataram ignited a powerful nationalist spirit.

Day 9 of the Winter Session of Parliament began on 11 December 2025, with the Lok Sabha starting proceedings at 11 am. Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari starts the question hour. The day’s agenda included laying of papers, committee reports, and key legislative business.

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is set to move the Appropriation (No. 4) Bill, 2025, seeking approval for additional expenditure from the Consolidated Fund of India for the 2025–26 financial year. The House will also discuss and vote on the first batch of Supplementary Demands for Grants, along with the cut motions filed by members, as both Houses resume discussions.

Home Minister Amit Shah began his address by saying that the reason his government did not want to discuss the SIR was because the parliament cannot question the ECI. He said that he will prove the integrity of the SIR exercise.

He cites the ECI’s responsibility to conduct free and fair elections, Article 325 of the Constitution which states that voters must be citizens of the country, and Article 327 which states that the ECI has a right to determine citizenship for drafting voter lists. He also mentions a case, filed by Lal Babu Hussain in 1995, in which the Supreme Court gave a Returning Officer the right to determine citizenship.

Shah addressed some of the claims raised by Rahul Gandhi in one of his earlier press conferences on ‘vote chori’.

He said that an age discrepancy in Bihar was due to an accident admitted to by the elector.

The ECI had clarified why multiple voters were registered to a single address in Haryana.

Multiple politicians showed up in multiple electoral roles because their names could not be deleted by law.

Replying to the assertions, Rahul Gandhi said that Shah had cherry-picked some examples without addressing the main claims. He challenged Shah to a debate on the issue.

Declining, Shah pointed to three instances of vote chori in the past: when Nehru was elected PM, when Indira Gandhi was elected from Raebareli, and when Priyanka Gandhi voted in an election despite not being a citizen at the time. The last point was challenged by Congress MPs who clarified that the case had been dismissed.

He says that the BJP never raised allegations of vote chori during UPA’s tenure, before saying that he had pointed to discrepancies in Amethi and Wayanand constituencies this past election.

Shah addressed three questions raised by Rahul Gandhi during his earlier speech:

1. Why was the CJI removed from the panel that selects the CEC?

   He says that for 83 years, the PM directly appointed the CEC – why is it a problem if Modi does it now? He adds that the new was passed based on a suggestion by the Supreme Court, and that it was not decided by any one party but passed in Parliament.

2. Why was the law on CCTV footage and data storage changed?

   He says that the data can still be asked for within the stipulated period, and if the window was not there, too many people would be asking for the data, creating a challenge for the ECI.

3. Why did the BJP give immunity to the CEC?

   He said that this law was taken exactly from the 1951 Representation of People Act.

Shah goes on to say that the only reason the opposition was challenging the SIR exercise was to keep infiltrators in the country. The Lok Sabha feed was cut amidst opposition protests. The opposition proceeded to walk out of the House.

He concludes by saying that the SIR and BJP stand against infiltrators. He said that the NDA’s policy is “Detect, Delete, Deport.” He added that NDA won because of the work it had done.

Meanwhile, the Rajya Sabha continued its discussion on ‘Vande Mataram’. Both Houses adjourned for the day.

After Question Hour, Lok Sabha moved onto Matters of Urgent Public Importance before resuming the debate on Electoral Reforms. Meanwhile, Rajya Sabha moved onto Question Hour.

Opposition MPs protest outside parliament. TMC MPs demand pending MGNREGA funds be disbursed to West Bengal by the Centre. NCP-SCP MPs demand Navi Mumbai International Airport be renamed after DB Patil.

Meanwhile, Congress MP Jairam Ramesh sought a confirmation of the schedule of the day after discussion ran long on day 7 of the session. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju replied, saying that the 'Vande Mataram' discussion will continue from 2pm till around 7pm. The discussion on Electoral Reforms in Rajya Sabha, initially scheduled for today, has been pushed till tomorrow, 11 December 2025, and will conclude on 15 December 2025.

Day 8 (10 December 2025) of the Winter Session of Parliament 2025 begins. The Lok Sabha commenced with Question Hour. The Rajya Sabha began with Chair Radhakrishanan commemorating Human Rights Day before moving onto Papers to be Laid and Zero Hour.

Both houses are set to continue their discussions from day 7 of the Winter Session – Electoral Reforms in Lok Sabha and 'Vande Mataram' in Rajya Sabha. Home Minister Amit Shah is set to address Lok Sabha on the issue at 5pm.

The Lok Sabha adjourned for the day, with the discussion on Electoral Reforms scheduled to continue at 11am on 10 December 2025. Meanwhile, the discussion on 'Vande Mataram' continues in Rajya Sabha.

BJP MP Nishikant Dubey replies to LoP Rahul Gandhi, saying that he is proud to be a part of the RSS. He goes onto list past instances where the Congress allegedly manipulated elections in favour of Muslim votes.

He says that the percentage of Muslims in the country has increased over the years from 9% till 24% in 2011. He claims that this increase is due to Bangladeshi infiltrators who were brought in by opposition parties to skew votes.

He adds that the BJP is the only party that has fought for electoral integrity. Only the private member resolutions have been passed in the country, he says, one of which was by LK Advani.

He says that all modern electoral safeguards - VVPATs, CCTV footage, etc. - are in place thanks to him. He concludes by saying that all of Congress' past policies have been for the appeasement of Muslims and that the BJP fights only for the country.

Rahul Gandhi, who has led the ‘Vote Chori’ charge against the NDA government and the ECI, begins his address on Electoral Reforms in Lok Sabha.

He began by talking about the fabric of the country, saying it’s made up of thousands of peoples. He says that India’s 1.5 billion people are woven together by the vote.

He continues, saying that the RSS can see the fabric but can’t stand to see all threads equally. He alleges that the RSS has attempted to capture India’s institutional framework. This began with Vice Chancellors in educational institutions, he says, then came the intelligence agencies, and finally the ECI.

He states that he has already given proof of the ECI corruption in the past and poses three questions for the BJP to answer:

1. Why was the CJI removed from the panel that selects the CEC? Why are the Pm and the Home Minister so keen on choosing the CEC?

2. The BJP government passed a law in December 2023 to grant immunity from the law to the CEC for any actions taken by them while undertaking election duties – why?

3. Why was the law on CCTV footage and data storage changed? Why has the EC been allowed to delete data after 45 days?

He goes onto relist ‘proofs’ he had announced earlier, alleging theft of the Haryana State Election. He says that his proofs and questions have not been answered by the ECI. He also brings up discrepancies in the electoral rolls in Bihar.

He reaffirmed Congress’ demands for Electoral Reforms:

1. Provision of machine-readable voter lists to all parties one month before the election.

2. Repeal of the CCTV and data destruction law.

3. Removal of immunity for the CEC.

He concluded his speech by saying that the biggest anti-national act is Vote Chori, which destroys the modernity and the very idea of India. This was met with protests by members.

In Lok Sabha, Minister of Panchayati Raj Rajiv Ranjan Singh says that India is recognised worldwide for the impartial conduct of its elections. He said that the ECI, as a Constitutional body, cannot be debated in parliament. He defended the ECI right to undertake the SIR and even determine citizenship. He added that the opposition only questions EVMs when convenient for them.

Meanwhile, Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs Anil Desai and Supriya Sule raised questions on the integrity of the ECI, while giving examples of lapses in electoral oversight in Maharashtra. Desai pointed to the ineffectiveness of the anti-defection law. Sule highlighted instances where the ECI had been lacing: allowing hate speech, opaque appointment processes, saturation of media with manipulation and propaganda before elections, a lack of enforcement of its own rules, disproportionate effect of reforms on poor and marginalised groups, vague verification processes, and no clear explanation or defense of its own actions.

She went on to list instances of electoral interference in Maharashtra that had not been addressed, including a BJP getting caught with suitcases full of cash, candidates running unopposed, violence in the state, EVM locks being broken, ghost voters, etc.

She said that the reason this debate was taking place was because the public had lost faith in the integrity of the ECI.

Mallikarjun Kharge, during his speech, brought up issues of financial insecurity, unemployment, inflation, and, specifically, caste atrocities in the country, which led a reply by Leader of the House JP Nadda. Nadda said that all these points were off topic and have been discussed earlier or will be allocated for later. He urged Kharge to stay on topic. Chair Radhakrishnan directed any unparliamentary comments to be struck from the record.

Kharge repeatedly brought up the issue of caste atrocities, saying that he wanted to point out real issues which should be discussed instead of the topic at hand. Chaos broke out in the House. Nadda replied again, saying that Dalits have fared better under the NDA government than ever before.

Kharge says that the BJP, which opposed many freedom struggles, is now speaking of nationalism.

Amit Shah concluded his speech on ‘Vande Mataram’, saying that this – the 150^th anniversary of the song – will reawaken a sense of nationalism in the country. He said that ‘Vande Mataram’ brought us Independence and now, it will be the slogan of a developed and great India.

Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge begins his reply, saying that ‘Vande Mataram’ was first sung at a Congress Conference in 1896. Shah, he says, failed to mention the history behind the song, pointing out that Congress leaders chanted “Bharat Mata ki jai, Mahatma Gandhi ki jai” and slogans of Vande Mataram before going to jail. He said that the BJP’s political ancestors were always against the freedom struggle and patriotic songs.

He went on to point out that Tagore had himself argued to include only two stanzas of the song as the national song. If the BJP argues against the truncating of the song, he says, they are disrespecting all those leaders, like Gandhi, Bose, and Azad, who supported it.

Amit Shah alleges he will submit a list of opposition members who have previously said that they will refuse to sing Vande Mataram. He also said that Indira Gandhi hailed anyone who sang Vande Mataram during Emergency. He said that policy of appeasement began with truncating the song.

Akhilesh Yadav supports Congress’ demands for electoral reforms, saying that the ECI must be unbiased and its election should not be up to the government. He adds that if more developed nations can use paper ballots for elections, why can’t India?

He argues against the SIR, pointing to BLO suicides in UP and arguing that exercise is a surreptitious attempt to undertake a nationwide NRC. He asks why a detention centre is needed for people who do not make it onto the revised electoral role, questioning UP CM Yogi Adityanath’s recent declaration.

Following him, TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee raises the issue of undue work pressure imposed on BLOs under the SIR excercise, pointing to suicides and health issues across states.

He goes onto question the ECI's authority to carry out a nationwide SIR and points to vague rules included in the guidelines of the excercise.

Home Minister begins the discussion on ‘Vande Mataram’ in Rajya Sabha talking about the relevance of the song across India’s history.

Meanwhile, SP MP Akhilesh Yadav participates in Lok Sabha discussion, beginning with an account of the Rampur by-election. He alleges that police and BJP workers had suppressed voters from participating in the election. When he provided detailed proof to the ECI, however, he alleged, no action was taken. That was when he understood the machinery was biased.

Replying to Manish Tewari, BJP MP Sanjay Jaiswal asks if Congress remembers that the first case of ‘Vote Chori’ took place was when Nehru was elected PM instead of Sardar Patel. He goes onto say that the electoral list revision is necessary to remove ‘infiltrators’ from the lists. He says that in Bihar, voters believed in Modi’s guarantee – that the BJP focused issues in the state, while the opposition only talked about ‘vote chori’ and never gained their confidence. He goes onto suggest that the only electoral reform needed is ‘One Nation, One Election’.

Congress MP Manish Tewari began the 10-hour discussion on Electoral Reforms in Lok Sabha. Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi is set to join the discussion later. Home Minister Amit Shah is set to begin the discussion on 'Vande Mataram' in Rajya Sabha at 1pm.

He raised three demands to ensure free and fair elections:

1. Leader of Opposition, Rajya Sabha, and the CJI should be included in the panel to elect the ECI and CEC.

2. SIR should be halted.

3. Direct cash transfers before elections should be halted, in line with the Model Code of Conduct.

He further asked whether polling can take place through paper ballots and questioned the ECI's authority to undertake SIR reforms.

After Question hour, Civil Aviation Minister K Ram Mohan Naidu made a statement on the ongoing IndiGo crisis in Lok Sabha, saying that flight schedules have normalised. He stated that the DGCA has issued show-cause notices, begun a detailed investigation, and will take appropriate action. He added that IndiGo had assured 'full compliance' with FDTL rules. The statement prompted protests by opposition MPs.

Meanwhile, Rajya Sabha moved onto Question Hour.

Day 7 (9 December 2025) of Winter Session of Parliament 2025 commenced, with Lok Sabha taking up Question Hour and Papers being Laid in Rajya Sabha.

The Lower House is set to see a 10-hour discussion on Electoral Reforms, with Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi kicking off the debate. Meanwhile, Rajya Sabha will see a discussion on 'Vande Mataram', with Home Minister Amit Shah beginning the debate.

The 'Vande Mataram' debate concludes in Lok Sabha. The topic will be taken up in Rajya Sabha on 9 December 2025, with Amit Shah beginning the discussion.

Discussion on ‘Vande Mataram’ continue in Lok Sabha, with a brief pause where the House took up Papers to be Laid.

Meanwhile, FM Sitharaman gives in address in Rajya Sabha, replying to points raised by members during discussion on the Health Security se National Security Cess Bill, 2025. The bill was returned to Lok Sabha after a voice vote.

The Upper House adjourned for the day.

Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra begins her speech by asking why there is a need for debate on such a subject. She says that ‘Vande Mataram’ is the national song, sung uncontested for 150 years. She says that Congress had demanded a debate on electoral reforms, but the NDA government had demanded a discussion on ‘Vande Mataram’ first.

She goes onto say that PM Modi’s speeches sound nice but lack in facts. Pointing out inaccuracies in his address, she says that he forgot to mention that when Tagore first sang the song at a conference in Bengal, it was at a Congress meet. She said that Nehru had written to Bose arguing that the issue of ‘Vande Mataram’ was creating communal fractures. She further said that Tagore himself had argued to use only the first two stanzas of the song as the national song.

She continued, adding that even the National Anthem was truncated like ‘Vande Mataram’. She goes onto talk about Nehru’s contributions to the country, saying that the NDA was attacking all those who fought in the freedom struggle.

She asserted that this debate was a diversionary tactic from more pressing matters, arguing that such a discussion in Parliament was wasting the time and faith of the electors who brought them here. It is time to stop looking back and look forward at the real issues, she concludes.

Both NDA and opposition MPs spoke on the ‘Vande Mataram’ discussion in Lok Sabha.

DMK MP A. Raja said that historical evidence suggests that the song was directed not only against the British, but also against Muslims. He argued that when communal tensions were at their peak in the 1930s, Nehru spoke of receiving various grievances against certain parts of the song by Muslim bodies. He said that when Nehru decided to declare ‘Vande Mataram’ as the national song, it was not appeasement of Muslims, if anything, it was the appeasement of Hindus.

TDP MP Byreddy Shabari said that everyone in the country, regardless of creed and caste, sings the song. She adds that the reason why the Gandhi’s don’t appreciate the song, perhaps, is because of their ‘foreign DNA’. JDU MP Devendra Chandra Thakur says that the song is the modern slogan of the country which puts service of the nation ahead all else.

BJP MP Basavaraj Bommai says that when Nehru omitted stanzas from the original song, he compromised the interest of the nation, which eventually led to Partition. BJP MP Anurag Thakur called the song as holy as the Quran. He also pointed out that Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra was absent from the discussion.

Gandhi Vadra is set to speak on the issue at 4pm.

Rajya Sabha reconvenes, with FM Sitharaman introducing the Health Security se National Security Cess Bill, 2025, for discussion. As a money bill, however, the House can only offer recommendations on the bill.

Meanwhile, SP MP Akhilesh Yadav gave the next reply in Lok Sabha. He said that the chant ‘Vande Mataram’ struck fear in the hearts of the British while uniting all Indians. He added that the BJP was trying to own freedom fighters and that the song was not for fake nationalists.

After this, TMC MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar addressed the House.

In reply to PM Modi’s speech, INC MP Gaurav Gogoi made the opposition’s first reply in the discussion. He begins by acknowledging the legacy of the song, its writer, and Bengal, where it was written.

Next, he points out the two main arguments of Modi’s speech. First, he says, the speech makes it sound like Modi’s political predecessors had fought in the freedom struggle, unlike what had actually happened. He said that this was an attempt to rewrite history. Second, he added, was a political spin given to the discussion by Modi’s repeated mentions of Nehru.

Gogoi also refuted Modi’s assertion that the Congress had ‘bowed down’ to the Muslim League when it omitted lines from the final song. He continued, saying that the NDA government doesn’t understand Bengal, or its cultural history. He says that anytime they hear someone speaking Bengali today, the BJP brands them as Bangladeshi infiltrators.

As PM Modi concludes his speech in Lok Sabha, INC MP Gaurav Gogoi makes the first reply. Meanwhile, Rajya Sabha adjourned till 2pm. The NDA Parliamentary Party has also scheduled a meeting for 9:30am, 9 December 2025.

Continuing his speech, Modi launched an attack against the Congress over ‘Vande Mataram’. He said that Congress surrendered before the Muslim League, making ‘tukde-tukde’ of the song. He said that this later led to the Partition of India, and that Nehru had sabotaged the song, afraid that it would incite Muslims. He says INC became ‘MCC’.

He went on to talk about Mahatma Gandhi’s feeling towards the song, recounting an opinion published by Gandhi where he said that the song’s one mission was to awaken patriotism in the listener, that the song’s saw India as a mother and praised her.

PM Modi talks about the historical significance of Vande Mataram. He begins by talking about Bankim Chandra Chatterjee before segueing into its role in emboldening India’s freedom struggle. He talked about ‘restoring the glory’ of the song.

He then proceeded to recite omitted lines from the song and talked about how the song connected freedom fighters of different ideologies. He said the song is an expression of our cultural spirit today, comparing it to Ram’s spirit in the Ramayan.

He went on to talk about how the song was suppressed by the British, how people were punished, even killed, for singing it.

Vande Mataram is the national song of India, written by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee in the late 19^th century. It was written as a protest song, in opposition to the British anthem ‘God Save the King’. The song became a symbol of India’s independence struggle.

The parliamentary discussion on ‘Vande Mataram’ concludes the year-log celebration of the anthem organised by the NDA government. In November 2025, PM Modi announced in a speech that the Congress’s decision to remove certain stanzas of the song before adopting it as the national song in 1937. He alleged that by doing so, they had diluted its original meaning, adding that this act eventually led to the Partition.

The Congress has countered this, stating that only the first two stanzas of the song had become widely used. The rest, they argued, was cut for containing “allusions and a religious ideology” which did not resonate with all of India’s religious communities. The decision, they added, was taken by committee consisting of national leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Patel, Subhas Chandra Bose, Rajendra Prasad, Abul Kalam Azad, and Sarojini Naidu, amongst others.

PM Modi has begun the discussion in Lok Sabha, for which 10-hours have been scheduled, 3 of which are for the BJP.

Day 6 (8 November 2025) of the Winter Session of Parliament 2025 commenced with Question Hour in Lok Sabha and Laying of Papers in Rajya Sabha.

As the Hour concluded in LS, the Speaker rejected several notices submitted to suspend business for the day. Following this, matters of urgent public importance were raised. The 10-hour debate on ‘Vande Mataram’ is scheduled to take place next.

In Rajya Sabha, after papers were laid and statements made by various ministers, the House segued into Question Hour.

Both Houses adjourn for the day, scheduled to reconvene on Monday, 8 December 2025.

Health Security se National Security Cess Bill, 2025, passed in Lok Sabha after voice vote. The House went on to discuss introduction of Private Member Bills.

Meanwhile, Rajya Sabha continued deliberation on POCSO Bill, with many BJP MPs arguing against the amendment, saying the earlier amendments made to the Act by the Modi government are sufficient and the new amendment does not add anything new.

The amendment seeks to update several sections of the bill, placing greater accountability on heads of institutions for proper reporting and follow through of the case. The amendment also introduces a new section on financial compensation for the victim.

The discussion was cut short as allocated time for Private Member Bills came to an end, scheduled to be taken up later. The House moved onto Special Mentions.

FM Sitharaman replies to points raised by Lok Sabha members during discussion of the Health Security se National Security Cess Bill, 2025. She says that the governments aims to ensure that demerit goods are not affordable to discourage use. Addressing points questioning the distribution and use of funds collected, she says that the cess will be used for public health, which is a state subject, and defence spending, which comes under the Centre. She added, talking about the ambiguity of the cess allocation, that collecting revenue is a norm and revenue can be used for any purpose; allocation will be laid out after discussion in Parliament.

Meanwhile, Rajya Sabha took up discussion on consideration and passing of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Amendment) Bill, 2024, raised by NCP-SCP MP Fauzia Khan.

Lok Sabha proceeds with Legislative Business, continuing deliberation on the Health Security se National Security Cess Bill, 2025.

After reconvening at 2pm, Rajya Sabha proceeds with Private Member’s Legislative Business, where MPs submit Private Member Bills for consideration and passing.

The Lok Sabha reconvened at 12pm, taking up Laying of Papers and reports. A paper was laid stating that the Rajya Sabha had no recommendations to make on the Central Excise (Amendment) Bill, 2025. The House then proceeded to address matters under Rule 377.

Meanhwile, Rajya Sabha commenced with Question Hour, with the first two questions addressed to the Ministry of Railways. The next question raised by Congress MP Mukul Balkrishna Wasnik, raising the issue of ‘Demand for Legal Guarantee for MSP’. Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Shivraj Singh Chouhan replied, highlighting ‘record’ procurement of crops at MSP by drawing a comparison between MSP spending by the NDA and UPA governments. Only one other question was addressed, of a total 15 that were listed for the day, on ‘Establishment of AI hub in Andhra Pradesh’. The House then adjourned till 2pm.

Lok Sabha commenced with Question Hour with Congress MP Bhajan Lal Jatav raising questions on the malnutrition rate in Rajasthan. He questioned why the government was not data on malnutrition among tribal children. Three other questions were raised on the ‘Impact of GST Structure on Fertilizers and Agricultural Input’, ‘Decline in Sex Ratio’, and ‘Data on Non-Communicable Diseases’. There were a total of 20 questions listed, but the House adjourned till 12pm amidst protests by DMK MPs.

The members raised the slogan “We want justice. Do not sleep.” They were protesting against a recent Madras High Court order permitting devotees of the Arulmighu Subramaniya Swamy Temple in Tamil Nadu to engage in a lamp lighting ritual near a dargah. The State government had earlier raised the issue in the Supreme Court.

Meanwhile, Rajya Sabha commenced with Laying of Papers and the presentation of a report, before a motion was passed for the election of a member to the Rubber Board. This was followed by several members raising Points of Order in the House.

Congress MP Pramod Tiwari raised the issue of IndiGo cancellations, saying several members of the House were scheduled to travel later that night. He said that the issue came about due to a monopoly of the company over the consumer aviation sector and asked ‘those responsible’ for allowing this to happen to address this issue. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju responded, saying that he had recently spoken to the Civil Aviation Minister and that the matter was being investigated.

Next, TMC MP Derek O’Brien raised a Point of Order requesting the Chair to allow such PoCs raised by members. After this, the Chair dismissed notices submitted by DMK members under Rule 267, saying they did not meet the stated requirements. The house then moved onto Matters Raised with Permission of the Chair.

Day 5 of the Winter Session of Parliament 2025 commenced on 5 December 2025, with protests by opposition leaders outside Parliament House. TMC MPs raised slogans for the disbursal of MGNREGA funds to West Bengal by the Centre. The MPs had raised the issue in parliament earlier this session too, when they revealed that four-years-worth of funds, amounting to ₹52,000 crore, was being withheld by the Centre.

Congress MP Manish Tewari, meanwhile, submitted an adjournment notice in Lok Sabha to discuss the depreciation of the Rupee ($1=₹90). DMK MP Tiruchi Siva submitted a notice for suspension of business in Rajya Sabha to discuss “provoked communal tension in Tamil Nadu created by forces with vested interests.” Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi raised a notice under Rule 180 in Rajya Sabha, requesting Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu on the mass cancellation of IndiGo flights, calling it a matter of urgent importance. Others also raised the issue of flight delays and cancellations by IndiGo to the media.

Both Houses commenced proceedings at 11am.

The Rajya Sabha passed the Central Excise (Amendment) Bill, 2025 through voice vote. The House took up Special Mentions before adjourning for the day.

Lok Sabha adjourned for the day in the middle of discussions on the Health Security se National Security Cess Bill, 2025, and scheduled the matter for 11am tomorrow, 5 December 2025.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman introduced the Health and National Security Cess Bill in the Lok Sabha, saying that cess will not be applied to health products, rather it will only be levied on demerit goods like pan masala. The cess will apply to the manufacturing process and machinery involved in the production of pan masala.

“By levying the cess, we expect that it would act as a deterrent for pan masala consumption. Part of the revenue from this cess will be shared with states through health awareness or other health-related schemes/activities,” she said.

Members raised issues with the bilingual name of the bill, calling it unnecessary, and also asked for clarification on how funds will be disbursed to states. DMK MP Thamizachi Thangapandiyan also pointed out that the cess is collected completely by the centre before redistribution and that MSMEs and small traders will bear the brunt of the cess.

Meanwhile, the Rajya Sabha reconvened, taking up the Central Excise (Amendment) Bill, 2025. Since it is a money bill, the House cannot debate the bill, just review and provide recommendations.

Members pointed out that the bill will promote illegal tobacco trade. YSRCP MP Meda Raghunada Reddy said that tobacco cultivating regions will need regular monitoring to ensure farmers are not struggling. Others used their time to propose more stringent regulations on tobacco products.

Question Hour commences in Rajya Sabha, with 15 starred questions listed. Members raised questions on the number of Indians deported from the US in 2025, on vacancies in high courts and subordinate judiciary, and human-animal conflicts, amongst others.

Minister of External Affairs S. Jaishankar, in a reply, revealed that 3,258 Indian nationals were deported from the US in 2025, and a total of 18,822 have been deported since 2009. The House was soon adjourned to reconvene at 2pm.

Meanwhile, in Lok Sabha, Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari, talking about the ‘Growth, Safety and Regulation of Electric Vehicle’, said that the rate of registration of EVs in 2024-25 increased by 20.8% for 4-wheelers and 33% for 2-wheelers. Meanwhile, petrol and diesel vehicle registration increased by 4.2% for 4-wheelers and 14% for 2-wheelers.

Other questions focused on scholarship and the PM-JANMAN scheme for tribal communities, metro lines in Mumbai, India’s civil aviation infrastructure, and the increasing demand of crude oil and natural gas, amongst others.

Afterwards, the House took up Matters of Public Importance.

Proceedings commenced with Question Hour in Lok Sabha and Laying of Papers in Rajya Sabha.

Members of Lok Sabha raised questions of road transport problems, with Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari addressing issues on delays in highway projects in Kerala. Meanwhile, Congress MP Selja Kumari pointed out the lack of drinking water facilities in Haryana villages and Chandrakant Handore highlighting that SC students were not being disbursed stipends under the Pradhan Mantri Scholarship Scheme (PMSS). A total of 20 questions were listed. The hour ended with Speaker Om Birla dismissing the adjournment motions put forth by Congress MPs.

In Rajya Saha, the Central Excise (Amendment) Bill 2025 was tabled for review – but as a money bill, it cannot be debated on by the Upper House. Several reports were laid following this.

Chair CP Radhakrishnan also brought up the issue of Rule 267, which allows MPs to move for suspension of scheduled business to discuss matters of urgent importance. He said that the rule as being invoked too often and to address matters already listed for discussion. Replying to him, Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge defended the submission of notices under the rule. “We are not getting the opportunities to discuss important things immediately when we raise and request it to you,” he said. “The government is avoiding important issues to be discussed here. Then always people resort to this Section 267. Because adjournment motion is in Lower House, in the Upper House, there are no provisions for adjournment. The only opportunity is 267. If you take this also away… then you are indicating that this rule cannot be often invoked.”

“Don’t brush aside everything in one stroke. Aisa bulldozer mat chahiye sahab,” he concluded. Replying to Kharge, Leader of the House JP Nadda, said, “This impression should not go that the government avoids any discussion – we are ready to discuss on any topic.” He added that matters raised the all-party meeting on the second day of parliament were already scheduled to be heard.

Following this, members raised Matters with the Permission of the Chair, spanning a rise of assaults on doctors, the new labour laws, lack of MSP for certain crops, etc.

Day 4 of the Winter Session of Parliament 2025 began with a protest outside the parliament by opposition leaders against worsening air pollution across Delhi-NCR. MPs – many wearing gas masks – held up a banner reading, ‘Mausam ka mazza leejye’, taking a dig at PM Modi’s recent comment amidst dipping air quality across North India.

Congress MPs also submitted adjournment motions in Lok Sabha, seeking an urgent discussion on the pollution issue and demanding declaration of a public health emergency.

Manickam Tagore, MP from Virudhunagar, Tamil Nadu, wrote in his notice, “government remains paralysed, issuing advisories instead of action, committees instead of solutions, slogans instead of a coordinated national strategy.”

Both Houses adjourned for the day, scheduled to meet next at 11am on 4 December 2025. The Lok Sabha passed the Central Excise (Amendment) Bill 2025 before adjourning. The bill will now move to the Rajya Sabha.

Concluding the discussion on the Central Excise (Amendment) Bill 2025, FM Sitharaman gave a speech replying to the points raised by fellow MPs.

Addressing the division of the excise duty collected from tobacco products, Sitharaman clarified that States will receive 41% of the cess. Confronting an accusation that the compensation cess collected was used to pay the Centre’s debt, Sitharaman said, “It is a completely false allegation. All the cess was collected with recommendation from Finance Commission.”

She highlighted that the World Health Organization (WHO) had flagged India for not increasing cess rates on tobacco products – excise tax rates on tobacco products had not increased since GST was introduced. As such, she said, it was high time that India complied with global standards.

Sitharaman added that issue was a health issue, and a higher price of tobacco would act as a deterrent. She added that India currently imposes 50% tax on tobacco products while the global average is 70%, going even higher than 80% in countries like the UK.

Addressing the impact of the new cess on tobacco farmers, factory workers, and beedi-rollers, Sitharaman said:

Tobacco farmers would be transitioned to other crops like turmeric, onions, etc. under government schemes like the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana. She pointed out that schemes like this have been in effect for decades. The current scheme already tackles diversification in 10 major tobacco-growing states (Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, etc.)

She added that supplementary initiatives were also in place to support such workers, giving an example of the education support scheme available to children of beedi workers. She also clarified that the overall tax on beedi will not increase, after compensating for the new GST regime.

Sitharaman also brought up an unrelated point in her speech, addressing a remark by an MP on the ‘C’ Grade given to India’s GDP data quality by the IMF.

After a discussion on the proposed bill, with most MPs declaring their approval for the resolution, the motion to adopt the Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Amendment Act, 2024 in Manipur was passed by the Rajya Sabha through voice vote.

During the discussion, some MPs raised concerns on the persistence of President's rule in Manipur and highlighted weak points in the bill. The House moved onto the Special Mentions segment.

Meanwhile, discussion on the Central Excise (Amendment) Bill 2025 continues in Lok Sabha.

After addressing Matters of Public Importance, the Lower House skipped the segment of Matters under Rule 377, which allows members to raise unregistered matters of urgent public importance. The House moved onto Legislative Business.

FM Nirmala Sitharaman moved The Central Excise (Amendment) Bill 2025 in Lok Sabha. The bill seeks to increase cess on tobacco and derived products to balance out the tax rate on sin products once GST compensation cess ends.

The matter is under discussion.

Minister of Communications Jyotiraditya Scindia clarified that the recent Sanchar Saathi order, which directed phone manufacturers to mandatorily download the government app in phones before sales,is open to amendment. He said that the government is willing to make amendments to the order based on feedback from the public.

“Na snooping sambhav hai, na snooping hoga,” he said in response to queries of privacy and function creep.

This comes after the issue was raised by multiple opposition MPs and has gained traction online. Yesterday, on the second day of the Winter Session, Scindia had clarified that the app is not ‘mandatory’ to download, despite the order stating otherwise. He had clarified that the move was necessary to counter digital fraud and ensure the safety of Indian citizens.

Rajya Sabha reconvened at 2pm, beginning with the Statutory Resolution segment. Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupendra Yadav moved a resolution to adopt the Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Amendment Act, 2024 in Manipur. Yadav added that this law has already been passed nationwide and that motion was directed at Manipur specifically as it is under President’s rule.

Rajya Sabha has adjourned till 2pm, to be reconvened after lunch. Matters of Public Importance are being addressed in Lok Sabha.

Meanwhile, opposition leaders met at parliament to discuss a strategy for the Winter Session. Top BJP leaders Amit Shah, JP Nadda, and BL Santosh also met, reportedly to discuss party matters including the election of the BJP National President.

Proceedings commenced in both houses at 11am without incident for the first time this session. Lok Sabha began with Question Hour, with 20 questions listed, and Rajya Sabha began with Zero Hour.

At 12pm, both items of business concluded, with Lok Sabha shifting into Zero Hour and Rajya Sabha beginning Question Hour, with 15 questions listed.

Many points were raised by MPs across the sessions, with particular focus on education, the Sanchar Saathi order, disability, highways, and railways.

The third day (3 December 2025) of the winter session began with opposition MPs protesting outside the parliament house against the new Labour Laws implemented by the Centre. Leaders like Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi, etc. held up a banner reading “No to Corporate Jungle Raj – Yes to Labour Justice”.

This follows protests by the opposition against the nationwide SIR on the first and second days of the session. This resulted in the Houses being adjourned early and a meeting of floor leaders discussing how to proceed. It was decided that the issue will be addressed on 9 and 10 December 2025.

The Rajya Sabha adjourned for the day, to meet again at 11am on 3 December 2025. After deliberating on the Manipur GST Bill, the Chair heard special mentions from a number of MPs before calling an end to the day.

Meanhwile, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla called a meeting of party leaders to his chambers to discuss the deadlock due to protests on the SIR issue. The Lok Sabha has scheduled a debate on Vande Matarm for 8 December, and electoral reforms on 9 and 10 December 2025.

The Manipur Goods and Services Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2025 was returned by the Rajya Sabha to the Lok Sabha as per a motion inititated by FM Sitharaman. Deliberation and voting on the bill took place while opposition leaders walked out of the House in protest of UM Rijiju's possition on the SIR issue. Rijiju had earlier said that the government is ready to deliberate on the issue, but refused to set a timeline for the discussion.

The Manipur Goods and Services Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2025 was tabled in Rajya Sabha following reconvening of the House. The Bill was introduced in the Lok Sabh on 1 December 2025 by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and passed later in the day.

The motion to consider the bill was passed by Union Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary. MPs listed for discussion widely supported the ordinance.

Both Houses of Parliament reconvened at 2pm. BJP MP Dilip Sakia chaired the Lok Sabha proceedings. The Lower House took up urgent issues of public importance under Rule 377, but protests by the opposition continued. The House was soon adjourned till 11am on 3 December 2025.

Meanwhile, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Rijiju assured the opposition in the Rajya Sabha that a discussion on SIR will be taken up, but restated that no timeline should be set.

The day began with Speaker Om Birla welcoming a parliamentary delegation from Georgia, who were attending and observing the proceedings from the special box of the Lok Sabha.

Soon after, the Speaker commenced with Question Hour, as opposition MPs raised slogans of “vote chor, gaddi chhor” and “SIR pe charcha karo.”

The opposition occupied the well of the House, with the House soon being adjourned till 12pm as no questions could be heard. Birla proceeded to meet opposition leaders after the adjournment.

The House reconvened at 12pm but the House was adjourned once more till 2pm, as the opposition continued to protest.

Radhakrishnan began the session by declaring that he had received 21 notices under Rule 267 to suspend the scheduled business to address imminent issues. The notices were not admitted leading to protests by opposition MPs.

Zero Hour commenced soon after, while opposition members continued to protest. Many filled the well of the house, raising the slogan “SIR pe charcha karo.”

Leader of Opposition Kharge demanded that the issue be addressed immediately, pointing out that no reason was stated for the dismissal of the notices. He went on to accuse Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju of avoiding the discussion.

Rijiju replied that there are a lot of issues in the country, and that no timeline should be set for any of them at the risk of undermining the other.

The Chair, Radhakrishnan, said that the matter will be taken up when there is order in the House.

The House was adjourned till 2pm, amidst protests.

The day (2 December 2025) began with a protest by opposition parties against the SIR outside the Parliament. Senior leaders like Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge joined the protest, raising the slogan “SIR pe charcha karo.”

Proceedings commenced at 11am, with Vice President CP Radhakrishnan chairing the Rajya Sabha and Speaker Om Birla chairing the Lok Sabha.

The business agenda for the day lists 15 starred questions, 4 sets of papers to be laid, and 1 bill for consideration and return in the Rajya Sabha; 20 starred questions, 9 sets of papers to be laid, and 15 bills to be laid in the Lok Sabha. Also listed were other matters such as statements, resolutions, reports, and motions.