The Winter Session of Parliament came to a close on Friday as both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha were adjourned sine die after a productive run marked by the passage of several crucial legislations. The session witnessed the approval of eight key government bills, including the historic repeal and replacement of the 20-year-old MGNREGA scheme with the Viksit Bharat – Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Bill, 2025, and the opening up of the civil nuclear sector for private participation through the Sustainable Harnessing and Advancement of Nuclear Energy for Transforming India (SHANTI) Bill, 2025.
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, presiding over the final sitting, highlighted the session’s productivity, noting, “We have now come to the end of the 18th Lok Sabha. In this session, 15 sittings took place. The House saw productivity of 111 per cent during the session.” The Lok Sabha held a total of 92 hours and 25 minutes of sittings, during which 10 government bills were introduced and 8 passed. The legislative package also included reforms in insurance laws, raising foreign direct investment in the sector to 100 per cent through the Sabka Bima Sabki Raksha (Amendment of Insurance Laws) Bill, 2025.
Vice-President and Rajya Sabha Chairman C P Radhakrishnan, who chaired his first session since taking office, described the 269th Rajya Sabha session as “highly productive” and expressed hope for continued fruitful debates. He emphasised the increased engagement of members, noting a 31 per cent rise in Zero Hour notices and a nearly 50 per cent increase in matters raised during Zero Hour compared to previous sessions. “This winter session saw high-quality discussions on historic and democratic issues, including the 150th anniversary of the National Song, Vande Mataram, and a detailed three-day debate on election reforms,” Radhakrishnan said.
The passage of the Viksit Bharat – Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Bill, which guarantees 125 days of wage employment annually, was met with strong opposition protests, culminating in a 12-hour overnight dharna by opposition leaders on December 18. Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan defended the legislation, stating, “This bill is necessary to address the shortcomings of the old scheme and ensure better employment guarantees for rural India.”
The SHANTI Bill’s approval marks a significant shift in India’s nuclear energy policy by allowing private sector participation in a sector traditionally dominated by the government. This move is expected to attract investment and accelerate the country’s clean energy ambitions.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju expressed regret over disruptions caused by opposition members, particularly citing the Congress party’s role in stalling a proposed discussion on pollution. “We wanted a discussion on pollution; the opposition said it was not important and created a ruckus, leading to chaos and disruption,” he said.
The session also featured extensive debates on electoral reforms, with 57 members contributing over 13 hours of discussion. Speaker Birla detailed that 408 matters of urgent public importance were raised during the session, demonstrating active legislative engagement.
As the session concluded, Vice-President Radhakrishnan extended festive greetings to members and their families for Christmas, the New Year, and the upcoming regional harvest festivals, underscoring the spirit of cooperation and dedication witnessed during the session.
The Winter Session not only delivered significant legislative milestones but also underscored the dynamic functioning of India’s parliamentary democracy amid robust debate and occasional dissent.