NEW DELHI: Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Kiren Rijiju, announced on Saturday, November 8, 2025, that the Winter Session of Parliament will be held from December 1 to December 19, 2025.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!The Minister confirmed the schedule via a post on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), stating that the proposal has received the formal assent of the President of India.
“The Hon’ble President of India Smt. Droupadi Murmu ji has approved the proposal of the Government to convene the Winter Session of Parliament from 1st December 2025 to 19th December, 2025 (subject to exigencies of Parliamentary business),” Rijiju wrote.
He also expressed the government’s outlook for the upcoming proceedings, adding:
“Looking forward to a constructive & meaningful Session that strengthens our democracy & serves the aspirations of the people.”
Key Details of the Upcoming Session
- Duration: The session is scheduled for 19 days, running from December 1st to December 19th.
- Approval: The dates were formally approved by President Droupadi Murmu following a proposal from the government.
- Purpose: The Winter Session is traditionally one of the most important periods in the legislative calendar, where the government introduces new bills, and members debate on matters of national importance.
Expected Agenda and Issues
The upcoming Winter Session is anticipated to be particularly eventful, especially coming directly after the high-stakes Bihar Assembly Elections. The opposition is expected to seek to corner the government on several key national issues, including:
- Electoral Issues: Debates on the nationwide Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process and the alleged vote fraud in the recently concluded state elections in Haryana and Maharashtra.
- Key Legislation: Several important pending bills are likely to be taken up for discussion and consideration, including:
- The Constitution (One Hundred and Thirtieth Amendment) Bill, 2025
- The Government of Union Territories (Amendment) Bill, 2025
- The Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill, 2025
Context: Review of the Monsoon Session
The announcement follows the conclusion of the previous Monsoon Session (July 21 to August 21), which was described by the Minister as “fruitful and successful” for the government.
- During the Monsoon Session, both Houses passed a total of 15 Bills.
- However, the session was marked by frequent disruptions and adjournments, with the House reportedly losing over 84 hours of effective business due to protests and walkouts by the opposition over various issues, including Operation Sindoor and the SIR.
The government is hopeful that the upcoming Winter Session will see greater cooperation and allow for constructive legislative work to proceed.
Key Bills Expected in the Winter Session (Dec 1-19, 2025)
The three bills—The Constitution (One Hundred and Thirtieth Amendment) Bill, 2025, The Government of Union Territories (Amendment) Bill, 2025, and The Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill, 2025—were all introduced by the Union Home Minister Amit Shah in the Monsoon Session and have been referred to a Joint Parliamentary Committee for scrutiny. Their core objective is identical: the removal of Ministers who are detained in jail for a prolonged period.
1. The Constitution (One Hundred and Thirtieth Amendment) Bill, 2025
This is the most critical of the three bills as it mandates changes to the very structure of the Constitution of India (specifically, Articles 75 and 164) to apply to the Union and State governments nationwide.
| Key Provision | Details |
| Grounds for Removal | A Prime Minister, Chief Minister, or any other Minister (Union or State) shall be removed from office if they are arrested and detained in custody for 30 consecutive days for an offense punishable with a minimum of five years of imprisonment. |
| Procedure (Minister) | A Minister (not the PM/CM) must be removed by the President (on PM’s advice) or Governor (on CM’s advice) by the 31st day. If the advice is not tendered, the Minister automatically loses office from the 31st day. |
| Procedure (PM/CM) | The Prime Minister or Chief Minister themselves must resign by the 31st consecutive day of custody. If they fail to resign, they will automatically cease to hold office from the day thereafter. |
| Goal | To plug the legal loophole that allows leaders to “govern from jail” and uphold constitutional morality, as the existing law (Representation of People Act) only disqualifies representatives after a conviction, not merely on detention. |
2. The Government of Union Territories (Amendment) Bill, 2025
This bill extends the same provisions outlined in the Constitutional Amendment Bill to the Union Territory of Puducherry, which has its own Legislative Assembly and Council of Ministers.
- It seeks to amend the Government of Union Territories Act, 1963, to include the automatic removal/resignation clause for the Chief Minister and Ministers of Puducherry after 30 days of continuous detention for a serious criminal offense.
3. The Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill, 2025
This bill applies the identical removal provisions to the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
- It seeks to amend the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, to enforce the new rule, giving the Lieutenant Governor (LG) a key role in the process.
- Like the others, it mandates the removal or automatic cessation of the Chief Minister or a Minister in J&K if they are detained for 30 consecutive days for a serious criminal offense. This is especially significant given the heightened political sensitivities and the move towards holding elections in J&K.
Controversy and Debate
These three bills are highly controversial, primarily because:
- Presumption of Innocence: Critics argue the bill violates the fundamental principle of “innocent until proven guilty” by triggering removal based on detention alone, without a conviction or even the framing of charges.
- Political Weaponization: Opposition parties fear the legislation could be politically weaponized, allowing the central government to misuse investigative agencies (like the ED or CBI) to arrest and detain opposition Chief Ministers or Ministers under serious charges, thereby legally destabilizing and removing rival state governments.
- Federalism: Concerns have been raised that the bill weakens the autonomy of elected state leaders by giving the Governor/President an indirect mechanism to remove a Chief Minister.
The Winter Session is expected to be dominated by the debate over these measures as the government tries to push for their passage to meet its stated commitment to cleaning up public life.
