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West Asia crisis, LPG price hike may dominate Budget session of Parliament
The Budget session's second leg begins Monday, with the Opposition pressing the government on West Asia and prices while moving a resolution seeking Speaker Om Birla's removal
On Saturday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi backed Birla, saying he had taken all Parliamentarians along and was committed to the principles of the Constitution and parliamentary democracy | (Photo:PTI)
The first week of the second leg of Parliament’s Budget session, which begins on Monday, will see the Opposition demanding answers on the government’s assessment of the situation in West Asia, where 9 million Indians live and work, and the pressure on the country’s energy supplies.
The highlight will also be the Opposition-sponsored resolution seeking the removal of Speaker Om Birla.
The government is expected to push for the passage of the Electricity Amendment Bill during the remainder of the Budget session, which is scheduled to conclude on April 2, along with several other pending Bills. These include the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (Amendment) Bill, 2025, for which the parliamentary committee submitted its report on December 17. The Securities Markets Code, 2025, is currently under scrutiny by the parliamentary Standing Committee on Finance, which is expected to submit its report during the session. The Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhishthan Bill has also been referred to a joint committee, while the report of the committee examining the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill is awaited.
Opposition parties will also question the government on the ₹60 increase in the price of domestic cooking gas cylinders. In a statement on Sunday, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) politburo said the ₹60 increase would hurt beneficiaries of the Ujjwala scheme, while the ₹114.50 hike in the prices of commercial cylinders would ultimately be passed on to consumers. “The refusal to forego revenue from taxes on cylinders exposes the anti-people nature of the government,” it said.
Opposition parties, including the Congress and Left parties, have criticised the government’s stance on the conflict in West Asia, particularly regarding Iran and the killing of its supreme leader Ali Khamenei, as well as the US “waiver” on India’s purchase of Russian oil. Meanwhile, the Election Commission is expected to announce the poll schedule for four states and a Union Territory — Tamil Nadu, Kerala, West Bengal, Assam, and Puducherry — during the course of the session. State-related issues could influence proceedings, including the outcome of the controversial Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in West Bengal.
The Opposition’s resolution seeking Birla’s removal — the first such effort against a presiding officer of the House in nearly four decades — will be symbolic, since the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance has a clear majority in the Lok Sabha.
However, it would allow the Opposition to criticise Birla’s alleged “biased conduct of the proceedings” on the parliamentary record.
On Saturday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi backed Birla, saying he had taken all parliamentarians along and remained committed to the principles of the Constitution and parliamentary democracy. The resolution against the Speaker has been listed for discussion on Monday.
Key issues
Opposition resolution to remove Om Birla
West Asia conflict and its impact on India
₹60 hike in domestic LPG cylinders
Pending legislations
Electricity Amendment Bill
Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (Amendment) Bill, 2025
 "West Asia crisis, LPG price hike may dominate Budget session of Parliament")
