Parliament Winter Session LIVE: Rajya Sabha reconvenes, Bills laid on table

Parliament Winter Session LIVE Updates: Follow all the latest updates from Parliament as government and opposition debate key issues

2:40 PM

Winter Session LIVE updates: Tharoor flags risks in bill's exemption powers for nuclear facilities

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Wednesday criticised a provision in the bill that allows the Central government to exempt any plant from licensing or liability if the perceived risk is “insignificant.” He warned that this creates a backdoor, enabling facilities to bypass regulatory oversight at the government’s discretion, undermining the framework meant to ensure safety and accountability.

2:21 PM

Parliament Winter Session LIVE updates: RS debates Repealing and Amending Bill 2025

The Rajya Sabha takes up 'The Repealing and Amending Bill 2025' for discussion. The Bill was was passed by Lok Sabha yesterday.

2:12 PM

Parliament Winter Session LIVE: Rajya Sabha reconvenes, bills introduced

2:01 PM

Parliament Winter Session LIVE updates: Opposition raises safety and equity concerns over SHANTI Bill

Trinamool Congress MP Dr Saugata Ray and DMK MP Arun Nehru opposed the SHANTI Bill in Parliament, citing risks of opening sensitive sectors like nuclear energy to major private players. While acknowledging some benefits of private enterprise, they stressed it has often failed to serve public interest.

1:40 PM

Parliament Winter Session LIVE updates: PT Usha flags crisis of Wayanad coffee growers in RS

Rajya Sabha member PT Usha highlighted the worsening crisis faced by coffee growers in Kerala's Wayanad district, urging the government to take coordinated, time-bound measures to address issues such as human-wildlife conflict and crop insurance lapses. Speaking during Zero Hour, Usha, a celebrated track and field athlete from Kozhikode, noted that Wayanad plays a crucial role in India’s coffee production and rural livelihoods.

1:19 PM

Nitin Gadkari speaks over the need for ambulances to reach accident sites within 10 minutes

Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari on Wednesday emphasised the need for ambulances to reach accident sites within 10 minutes, citing an IMA study that suggested at least 50,000 deaths could have been prevented with timely medical aid.

 

To address this, two new schemes have been introduced: anyone admitting an injured person to a hospital will be recognised as a ‘Rahaveer’ and awarded ₹25,000, while hospital bills up to ₹2.5 lakh will be covered by NHAI for the first seven days. Additionally, a centralised number and modernised ambulance service will be established through MoUs with state governments to ensure rapid response.

1:13 PM

Winter Session LIVE updates: Rajya Sabha MPs flag gaps in international and regional air connectivity

Two Rajya Sabha MPs on Wednesday flagged aviation connectivity issues in their states, citing the absence of direct international flights from Kolkata and disruptions to regional air services in Himachal Pradesh.

Raising the matter during Zero Hour, Trinamool Congress MP Saket Gokhale said Kolkata Airport, which serves as a key gateway for West Bengal and the northeastern region, still lacks direct air links to major destinations in the United States and Europe.

Separately, BJP MP Harsh Mahajan highlighted problems with regional connectivity in Himachal Pradesh under the UDAN scheme. He said air services on key routes such as Delhi–Shimla, Shimla–Dharamshala and Shimla–Amritsar have been disrupted following the expiry of operating contracts.

1:06 PM

Winter Session LIVE updates: Congress raises concerns over accountability in SHANTI Bill

Congress MP Manish Tewari questioned the removal of the supplier’s liability clause from the proposed nuclear legislation, asking how the change would benefit India. Speaking in the House, Tewari said he could not find “a single word on supplier’s liability” in the Bill, even as the government plans to open up the nuclear sector to greater participation by foreign suppliers. He warned that the absence of such a provision could weaken accountability and expose India to future risks.

12:57 PM

Winter Session LIVE: Empower 6th Schedule councils to uphold constitutional promises to tribals, says Assam MP

Raising concerns over the stagnation of tribal autonomous councils, UPPL MP from Assam Rwngwra Narzary on Wednesday urged the Rajya Sabha to immediately pass the Constitution (125th Amendment) Bill, 2019, which has been pending for over five years. Speaking during Zero Hour, Narzary said that although the Constitution guarantees self-governance to India’s tribal population through the Sixth Schedule, the 10 autonomous councils set up under it have remained “stagnant” for the past 74 years, depriving tribal communities of their rightful share in development.

12:48 PM

Winter Session LIVE updates: Congress MP Manish Tewari opposes SHANTI Bill in LS

Congress MP Manish Tewari opposed the SHANTI Bill in the Lok Sabha, arguing that it seeks to replace two existing legislations. During the debate, he traced the origins of India’s nuclear programme to Jawaharlal Nehru and highlighted its historical evolution. Tewari also recalled that when the UPA government attempted to break what he described as “nuclear apartheid”, members of the then opposition had moved a no-confidence motion against the government. 

 

12:36 PM

Winter Session LIVE updates: Lok Sabha discusses SHANTI Bill to boost nuclear energy production

The Lok Sabha on Wednesday began discussions on the Sustainable Harnessing of Atomic Energy for Transforming India (SHANTI) Bill, moved by Dr Jitendra Singh, Minister of State for Atomic Energy. Dr Singh described the legislation as historic, highlighting its alignment with the vision of Dr. Homi Bhabha, the father of India’s nuclear programme, to dedicate nuclear energy for peaceful purposes—a goal now facilitated under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership.

He emphasised the need to reduce dependence on fossil fuels and increase nuclear energy output, noting that nuclear power can offer a more reliable, round-the-clock energy supply compared with some renewable sources.

12:29 PM

Winter Session LIVE updates: SHANTI Bill introduced in LS for consideration, opposition raises objections

Jitendra Singh moved Sustainable Harnessing of Atomic Energy for Transforming India (SHANTI) Bill in the Lok Sabha for consideration. Opposition raise objections against the Bill.

12:18 PM

Winter Session LIVE updates: Not practical to stop rail traffic while redeveloping station, says Vaishnaw

Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on described station redevelopment as a “complex task” that must be carried out without halting rail traffic. He noted that in several countries, rail services are often suspended for three to four years to complete such projects. Under India’s Amrit Bharat Station Scheme, stations are being redeveloped with a long-term vision through master plans, which are implemented in phases to enhance infrastructure and passenger facilities while ensuring train operations continue uninterrupted.

12:10 PM

Speaker Om Birla rejects adjournment notices, Business continues in Lok Sabha

Speaker Om Birla on Wednesday noted that he had received multiple adjournment notices seeking to suspend House proceedings to discuss various issues, but he did not accept any of them. Consequently, the Lok Sabha proceeded with its scheduled business, laying papers, statements, and reports on the table of the House.

11:57 AM

Winter Session LIVE updates: MP Chandrashekhar Azad protests in Parliament premises over Delhi pollution