The Budget Session of Parliament is set to begin on January 31 with President Droupadi Murmu addressing a joint sitting of both Houses. The session will see the government presenting its legislative agenda, including the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, while the opposition plans to raise concerns over issues such as inflation and unemployment. The Economic Survey will be tabled on the same day, followed by the Union Budget presentation on February 1. An all-party meeting chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh saw opposition leaders criticizing the government’s handling of economic policies, the Waqf Bill committee, and other governance matters. Congress leader Pramod Tiwari accused the BJP of undermining constitutional values, while the BJD reiterated its long-standing demand for special category status for Odisha.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju outlined the session’s legislative focus, revealing that 16 legislative items and three financial bills are expected to be discussed. Key bills include amendments to banking laws, railways, disaster management, oilfield regulations, and coastal shipping. The session will also involve discussions and voting on the Demands for Grants for 2025-26, Supplementary Demands for 2024-25, and Excess Grants for 2021-22. Additionally, the Business Advisory Committees of both Houses will determine the time allocation for debates on the President’s address and the Budget. Due to the Delhi Assembly elections, parliamentary proceedings will be paused on February 5.
The opposition strongly criticized the handling of the Joint Parliamentary Committee on the Waqf Bill, arguing that its functioning disregarded parliamentary traditions. Congress leader Jairam Ramesh accused the BJP of manipulating parliamentary committees by assigning multiple memberships to its MPs, thereby consolidating control over key decision-making processes. The Budget Session is divided into two phases, with the first concluding on February 13 and the second running from March 10 to April 4.