NEW DELHI, Nov 8: The Winter session of Parliament will be held from December 1 to 19, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju announced on Saturday.
Posting the announcement on X he wrote, “Looking forward to a constructive and meaningful session that strengthens our democracy and serves the aspirations of the people.”
The winter session, in the past, usually begins in the third week of November and ends before Christmas. Last year, the Winter session began on November 25 and concluded on December 20
The opposition leaders criticised the government for the short session. In a post on X, Congress General Secretary (communications) and party’s chief whip in Rajya Sabha Jairam Ramesh, said it was “unusually delayed” and “truncated.” “What is the message being conveyed? Clearly, the government has no business to transact, no bills to get passed, and no debate to be allowed,” Mr Ramesh said.
Trinamool Congress’s Rajya Sabha Parliamentary leader Derek O’ Brien termed it “Parliament-ophobia”. “PM Narendra Modi and team continue to suffer from the acute condition called Parliament-ophobia, a morbid fear of facing Parliament,” he said, adding further that it sets a dubious record.
The last monsoon session of Parliament had ended on August 21 with 12 bills passed by Lok Sabha and 14 by the Rajya Sabha during the month-long session. Barring discussions on Operation Sindoor in both Houses, the Monsoon session had seen little business since it began on July 21, 2025, due to repeated disruptions and adjournments initially caused by opposition demands for a discussion on Operation Sindoor and then over demands for a discussion on the Special Intensive Revision exercise in Bihar.
Last year, both Houses of Parliament had witnessed stormy Winter session marked by debate on the Constitution’s 75th anniversary, notice of no-confidence moved by the Opposition against the then Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, Opposition notice to initiate proceedings for impeachment of Allahabad High Court judge and concluded with a slugfest on alleged insult of the architect of Constitution Dr B.R. Ambedkar.
(Manas Dasgupta)
