Winter Session of Parliament to be held from November 25 to December 20

The Winter Session of Parliament starting from November 25 is likely to hold raging discussions over the contentious Waqf (Amendment) Bill and the One Nation One Election proposal.

In Short

• President Droupadi Murmu approved Centre's Winter Session proposal
• Announcement made by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju
• Winter Session will also see observance of Constitution Day on Nov 26

The Winter Session of the Parliament is scheduled to begin on November 25 and will continue until December 20, according to an official announcement. The session will take place two days after the announcement of Maharashtra and Jharkhand Assembly election results.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju confirmed that the government's proposal to convene both Houses (Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha) of the Parliament during this period was sanctioned by President Droupadi Murmu.

Highlight of the upcoming Winter Session will be the observance of Constitution Day on November 26, commemorating the 75th anniversary of the adoption of the Indian Constitution.

The event will be celebrated in the Central Hall of Samvidhan Sadan in New Delhi, with members of both Houses gathering to honour the country's foundational document.

"Hon’ble President, on the recommendation of Government of India, has approved the proposal for summoning of both the Houses of Parliament for the Winter Session, 2024 from 25th November to 20th December, 2024 (subject to exigencies of parliamentary business). On 26th November, 2024 (Constitution Day), 75th Anniversary of the adoption of Constitution, the event would be celebrated in the Central Hall of Samvidhan Sadan," Rijiju said in a post on X.

In the upcoming Winter Session, raging discussions are expected to be held around two key legislative proposals: The 'Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024' and 'One Nation, One Election'.

Earlier, Union Home Minister Amit Shah had emphasised the importance of the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, asserting that it would be addressed in the winter session.

The Waqf board law... we will resolve it in the next session of Parliament," Shah said while addressing an election rally in Gurugram.

Currently, a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) is holding marathon meetings across various states to engage with stakeholders and address their concerns and build a consensus on the contentious bill.

Sources also said that the Centre might also look to introduce One Nation One Election Bill which will ensure simultaneous polls for Lok Sabha and state assemblies.

During his Unity Day speech in Gujarat, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that the 'One Nation, One Election' proposal, which aims to synchronise all elections in the country either on a single day or within a specific time frame, will be cleared soon and will become a reality.

"We are now working towards 'One Nation One Election', which will strengthen India's democracy, give the optimum outcome of India's resources and the country will gain new momentum in achieving the dream of a developed India," the Prime Minister had said.