The winter session of Parliament has commenced today and will conclude on December 20. The government has outlined a legislative agenda featuring 15 bills, including amendments to the Waqf Bill and Banking Laws, and five new ones.
Among the new bills, the Merchant Shipping Bill aims to align India’s maritime regulations with international treaty obligations. Additionally, the Coastal shipping Bill, focused on promoting coastal trade and Indian vessel participation, and the Indian Ports Bill, with a focus on port conservation, security and pollution control, are slated for introduction and passage.
Currently, eight bills, such as the Waqf (Amendment) Bill and the Musalman Wakf (Repeal) Bill await clearance in the Lok Sabha, while two others are awaiting clearance in Rajya Sabha.
Here's the complete list of bills:
- The Rashtriya Sahkari Vishwavidyalaya Bill, 2024
- The Punjab Courts (Amendment) Bill, 2024
- The Merchant Shipping Bill, 2024
- The Coastal Shipping Bill, 2024
- The Indian Ports Bill, 2024
- The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024
- The Railways (Amendment) Bill, 2024
- The Oilfields (Regulation and Development) Amendment Bill, 2024
- The Boilers Bill, 2024
- The Banking Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2024
- The Bhartiya Vayuyan Vidheyak, 2024
- The Disaster Management (Amendment) Bill, 2024
- The Readjustment of Representation of Scheduled Tribes in Assembly Constituencies of the State of Goa Bill, 2024
- The Bills of Lading Bill, 2024
- The Carriage of Goods by Sea Bill, 2024
- The Mussalman Wakf (Repeal) Bill, 2024
Ahead of the winter session beginning today, the central government held a meeting on Sunday, with floor leaders of all political parties, the meeting was attended by 42 leaders from 30 political parties including ministers.
Addressing the media ahead of the parliament session, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, “This session of Parliament is special in several ways and the most important thing is the beginning of the 75th year of the Constitution. Tomorrow, in the Samvidhan Sadan, everyone will celebrate the 75th year of our Constitution.”
“It is the winter session, I hope the atmosphere will also be so. The country is getting ready to welcome 2025. This session is important in many ways. The most important is the 75 years of the Constitution. Tomorrow during the session, everyone will celebrate the occasion,” he adds.
Union minister for parliamentary affairs Kiren Rijiju, in his opening address, announced that the winter session of Parliament will begin on Monday and is expected to conclude on December 20. The session will span 29 days and include 19 sittings. He added that 16 legislative items are going to be taken up during this session. Additionally, he informed that there will be no sitting on November 26, 2024, to mark the 75th anniversary of the adoption of the Constitution of India by the Constituent Assembly in 1949.
