The Indian Parliament is set to reconvene tomorrow for the second part of the Budget session, with a busy legislative agenda lined up. In the Lok Sabha, several bills and standing committee reports will be presented. Home Minister Amit Shah will introduce the Tribhuvan Sahkari University Bill, 2025, which aims to establish the Institute of Rural Management Anand as Tribhuvan Sahkari University and designate it as an institution of national importance. Meanwhile, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will present Manipur’s estimated revenue and expenditures for the financial year 2025-26. Shipping Minister Sarbananda Sonowal is set to table the Bills of Lading Bill, 2024, which deals with the transfer of rights and liabilities in shipping documents. Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi will lay reports from the Standing Committee on Home Affairs, including the 251st Report on Prison Conditions, Infrastructure, and Reforms.

In the Rajya Sabha, Amit Shah will present a proclamation issued by the President under Article 356 regarding the state of Manipur. Additionally, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw will seek consideration of the Railways (Amendment) Bill, 2024, which has already been passed in the Lok Sabha. The Budget session, which began with President Droupadi Murmu’s address to both Houses, will conclude on April 4. Earlier, both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha were adjourned until March 10 following debates on the Union Budget, during which Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman responded to extensive discussions. The JPC report on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024 was also tabled, sparking opposition protests.

The opposition raised concerns that their dissenting notes were not fully included in the report. Amit Shah assured that the government had no objections to including their concerns through proper parliamentary procedures. Speaker Om Birla also confirmed that issues raised by Waqf Board members had been accommodated in the annexure. However, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge strongly objected to the omission of dissenting notes, calling it "anti-democratic" and demanding that the report be revised and reintroduced.

Meanwhile, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman introduced the New Income Tax Bill, 2025, aimed at simplifying tax laws, updating definitions, and providing clarity on various tax-related matters. This bill, which seeks to replace the Income Tax Act, 1961, introduces modern terminology, such as replacing financial year with tax year and defining virtual digital assets to align with contemporary financial practices, including cryptocurrency and digital transactions. Sitharaman proposed sending the bill to a select committee for further review.

The session has witnessed intense exchanges between the ruling party and the opposition, with allegations and counter-allegations over the JPC report on the Waqf Bill. While the government maintains that the report was tabled without any alterations, opposition members staged a walkout, calling it a "manipulated" document. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju dismissed the opposition’s allegations as baseless, asserting that no deletions were made. With crucial bills on the table and political tensions running high, the upcoming parliamentary proceedings are expected to be eventful.

Disclaimer: This image is taken from PTI.