Indian Polity and Constitution Current Affairs, Important for competitive Exams.
Union Minister Kiren Rijiju has announced that the Monsoon Session of Parliament will be held from July 21 to August 12, 2025, with both houses convening at 11 a.m. on the first day.
The session is expected to be intense due to Opposition demands for a special session to discuss the terror attack in Pahalgam and India’s retaliatory Operation Sindoor against terror bases in Pakistan and PoK.
The Waqf (Amendment) Act 2025 officially came into force on April 8, 2025, following President Droupadi Murmu’s assent. The legislation had been passed by both Houses of Parliament the previous week.
The amended law focuses on:
Key objectives include:
The Act aims to build a secular and well-governed system for Waqf affairs, ensuring public trust and effective use of assets for community benefit.
The Budget Session of Parliament, which began on January 31, 2025, officially concluded on April 5, 2025, with both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha adjourned sine die. The Monsoon Session will be scheduled later.
In his valedictory remarks for the 267th Rajya Sabha session, Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar praised members for their active participation. The Upper House sat for 159 hours, achieving 119% productivity, including a historic longest sitting on April 3–4 from 11 AM to 4:02 AM. A record 49 private members’ bills were introduced.
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla reported 26 sittings and a 118% productivity rate. During the session, 10 government bills were introduced and 16 were passed, including the key Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025, which passed after midnight following an intense debate. The bill received 128 votes in favor and 95 against.
The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, revised based on recommendations from a Joint Parliamentary Committee, aims to modernize the 1995 Act by improving the efficiency of Waqf Boards, simplifying the registration process, and integrating technology for better management of waqf properties.
The Budget Session was split into two parts: Jan 31–Feb 13 and from March 10 onwards.
The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025 was passed by Parliament after the Rajya Sabha approved it on April 3, 2025, with 128 votes in favor and 95 against, following a 12-hour debate. The Lok Sabha had already approved the Bill.
The Bill aims to streamline the management of Waqf properties, ensure transparency and accountability, and promote heritage protection and social welfare, particularly improving the status of Muslim women, including widows and divorcees. It proposes an inclusive Waqf Board, with representation from different Muslim sects and a limited number of non-Muslim members to preserve its secular nature.
Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju stated the Bill would benefit crores of poor Muslims without interfering with Waqf properties, aligning with the government’s “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas” vision. The Bill was drafted after consultations with stakeholders and the Joint Parliamentary Committee.
Opposition leaders, including Mallikarjun Kharge, Dr. Syed Naseer Hussain, and others, opposed the Bill, calling it anti-secular, unconstitutional, and politically motivated. However, several leaders like HD Devegowda supported the Bill, citing misuse of Waqf properties.
Parliament also passed the Mussalman Wakf (Repeal) Bill, 2025, repealing the Mussalman Wakf Act of 1923.
The Lok Sabha passed the Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2025 on April 2, 2025, with 288 votes in favor and 232 against. The House also approved the Mussalman Wakf (Repeal) Bill 2024, repealing the Mussalman Wakf Act 1923.
Key Provisions and Government’s Stand:
Opposition’s Criticism:
Government’s Response:
Support from Other Parties:
The bill’s passage marks a significant move in reforming Waqf property management, though controversy and political opposition remain strong.
The Disaster Management (Amendment) Bill 2024 has been passed by both houses of Parliament, with the Rajya Sabha approving it on 25 March 2025. It amends the Disaster Management Act, 2005, aiming to enhance the efficiency of the National and State Disaster Management Authorities (NDMA and SDMA).
Key highlights:
The Centre has officially announced a significant revision in the salaries, allowances, and pensions of Members of Parliament (MPs), effective from April 1, 2023. The Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs issued a gazette notification on March 24, 2025, confirming the changes.
Key highlights of the revision:
This comprehensive adjustment ensures MPs’ compensation keeps pace with inflation and supports their legislative duties effectively. MPs also receive enhanced allowances for constituency-related work, office maintenance, and other perks such as free flights, train travel, and accommodations.
The last revision took place in 2018, making this a timely update to address rising living costs and economic shifts.
On March 18, 2025, the Election Commission announced major steps to enhance electoral process!
Voter ID & Aadhaar Linking: 🤝 The EC will soon begin technical consultations with UIDAI to explore linking Voter IDs with Aadhaar, ensuring a more robust and accurate voter database. This will be done in accordance with Article 326, the Representation of the People Act, 1950, and Supreme Court judgments.
Duplicate Voter IDs Resolved: 🔍 Say goodbye to duplicate voter ID issues! The EC is committed to resolving these problems within the next three months.
Empowering Political Agents: 📚 Field-level political agents (booth, polling, counting, and election agents) will receive comprehensive training to better understand their vital roles.
Shorter Polling Queues: ⏳ To reduce waiting times, future polling booths will be limited to a maximum of 1,200 electors.
The second part of the Budget Session of the Indian Parliament commenced on March 10, 2025, and is scheduled to run until April 4, 2025. This session follows the adjournment of the first part on February 13, 2025. The government has prioritized the passage of the Waqf Amendment Bill, which is expected to be a significant point of contention between the ruling party and the Opposition.
The session has already witnessed heated debates, particularly over the National Education Policy (NEP) in Tamil Nadu. The Opposition, led by Rahul Gandhi, has raised concerns about alleged discrepancies in voter lists and the recent violence in Manipur. The government is also keen on discussing the imposition of President’s Rule in Manipur, with Union Home Minister Amit Shah expected to address the issue.
In addition to these key issues, the session will see the introduction of the Immigration and Foreigners Bill, 2025, aimed at enhancing national security and standardizing immigration procedures. The Lok Sabha will also discuss the Manipur budget, presented by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.
The second part of the Budget Session is crucial for the passage of several important bills and addressing pressing national issues. The proceedings are being closely watched as the government and the Opposition engage in intense debates and discussions.
Rekha Gupta has been announced as the new Chief Minister of Delhi after the BJP legislative party meeting on 19 Feb 2025. She won from Shalimar Bagh in the recent Delhi Assembly elections. Gupta began her political career with ABVP in 1992 at Daulat Ram College and later became the President of Delhi University Students’ Union. She has also served as General Secretary of BJP Mahila Morcha in Delhi.
She will take oath as CM tomorrow at Ramlila Maidan, with LG VK Saxena administering the oath at 12:35 PM. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, and leaders from 20 states are expected to attend. Delhi Police has issued a traffic advisory for the event.
The BJP, returning to power in Delhi after 27 years, secured 48 out of 70 seats, reducing AAP to 22.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) secured a decisive victory in the Delhi Assembly Election on 8 February 2025, returning to power after 27 years by defeating the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).
✅ BJP: Parvesh Sahib Singh (New Delhi), Vijender Gupta (Rohini), Kapil Misra (Karawal Nagar), Manjinder Singh Sirsa (Rajouri Garden), and others.
✅ AAP: Atishi (Kalkaji), Gopal Rai (Babarpur), Imran Hussain (Ballimaran), Sahi Ram (Tughlakabad), and others.
❌ AAP: Arvind Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia, Saurabh Bhardwaj.
❌ Congress: Sandeep Dikshit.
❌ BJP: Ramesh Bidhuri, Raaj Kumar Anand.
The Budget session of Parliament began on January 31, 2025, with President Droupadi Murmu addressing a joint sitting of both Houses. Following this, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will present the Economic Survey when both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha meet briefly. On February 1, 2025, she will present the Union Budget for 2025-26. The Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha will then discuss the Motion of Thanks on the President’s Address on February 3, 2025.
During this session, 16 bills will be discussed, including the Finance Bill 2025, the Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2024, the Immigration and Foreigners Bill 2025, the Banking Laws (Amendment) Bill 2024, and the Railways (Amendment) Bill 2024. The first part of the Budget session will run until February 13, 2025, and the second part will take place from March 10 to April 4, 2025.
The Uttarakhand State Cabinet approved the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) manual on 20 January 205, marking a step toward its implementation. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami expressed optimism, stating that Uttarakhand’s adoption of the UCC could inspire the rest of India.
The UCC aims to establish a common set of laws for personal relationships, promoting equality and justice among all citizens.
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) released the draft Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Rules, 2025, on January 3, 2025, to implement the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023. These rules aim to strengthen the legal framework for protecting digital personal data and provide a detailed implementation framework.
The draft rules are open for public feedback until February 18, 2025. Stakeholders are encouraged to submit their comments and suggestions to help refine the final version of the rules.
On December 17, 2024, the government referred the One Nation One Election (ONOE) bills to a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) for wider consultations. Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced in the Lok Sabha that Prime Minister Narendra Modi recommended detailed discussions at every level before proceeding with the bills. This followed the introduction of the Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-Ninth Amendment) Bill, 2024, and the Union Territories Law (Amendment) Bill, 2024 by Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal, which aim to enable simultaneous elections for the Lok Sabha and State Assemblies. Opposition leaders objected to the bills, but Meghwal described the opposition as political and reiterated the government’s readiness to involve the JPC.
The JPC is a temporary parliamentary committee comprising members from both Houses and political parties. It examines specific bills or issues in detail, gathers evidence from experts, and consults stakeholders. Its recommendations are advisory, and the government is not obligated to implement them. The JPC is dissolved after completing its examination.
On December 12, 2024, the Union Cabinet approved the ‘One Nation, One Election’ Bills, a significant step towards implementing simultaneous elections across India. This initiative aims to synchronize the elections for the Lok Sabha, state assemblies, and local bodies, reducing the frequency of elections and the associated costs and disruptions.
The concept of ‘One Nation, One Election’ has been a long-standing agenda of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The proposal received a major push with the recommendations of a high-level committee led by former President Ram Nath Kovind. The committee suggested amendments to the Constitution to facilitate simultaneous elections in two phases: first, aligning the Lok Sabha and state assembly elections, followed by synchronizing municipal and panchayat elections within 100 days of the national and state polls.
The approved bills include a constitutional amendment to enable simultaneous elections and another bill to amend provisions in laws dealing with Union Territories that have legislative assemblies, such as Delhi, Puducherry, and Jammu & Kashmir. The government plans to introduce these bills in the ongoing Winter Session of Parliament, with the expectation of referring them to a parliamentary committee for further scrutiny and consultations.
Supporters of the ‘One Nation, One Election’ initiative argue that it will enhance governance efficiency, reduce election-related expenditures, and minimize the disruption caused by frequent imposition of the Model Code of Conduct. However, the proposal has faced criticism from opposition parties, who claim it threatens regional representation and federalism.
Devendra Fadnavis becomes the Chief Minister of Maharashtra for the third time on 5 December 2024. He leads the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance to a landslide victory in the recent assembly elections.
There are two deputy chief ministers: Ajit Pawar of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and Eknath Shinde of the Shiv Sena. The swearing-in ceremony to be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and several other prominent leaders.
Fadnavis, who has previously served as Chief Minister from 2014 to 2019 and briefly in 2019, was unanimously chosen as the Leader of the BJP Legislative Party.
In the recent Assembly Election Mahayuti alliance secured 235 seats in the 288-member House. The BJP emerged as the single-largest party with 132 seats, followed by Shiv Sena with 57 and NCP with 41 seats.
Hemant Soren, the leader of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), is set to take the oath as the Chief Minister of Jharkhand for the fourth time on 28 November 2024. This follows the recent state elections where his JMM-led coalition secured a decisive victory, winning 56 out of the 81 Assembly seats. The swearing-in ceremony will take place at 4 pm at the Morabadi Ground in Ranchi, with Governor Santosh Kumar Gangwar administering the oath.
Soren’s victory marks a significant moment in Jharkhand’s political history, as it is the first time an incumbent government has returned to power after completing a full five-year term. The JMM achieved its highest-ever tally, winning 34 of the 43 seats it contested, while its allies, the Congress and RJD, secured 16 and four seats respectively.
The ceremony is expected to be attended by several prominent leaders from the INDIA bloc, including Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. In his victory speech, Soren expressed gratitude to the people of Jharkhand for their continued trust and emphasized the importance of unity and social justice.
The Winter session of Parliament will commence on 25 November 2024, featuring 19 sittings over 26 days. There will be no session on 26 November to commemorate Constitution Day, with the main celebration at the Central Hall of Samvidhan Sadan.
The session will continue until 20 December 2024, with 16 bills listed for legislative business, including the Bhartiya Vayuyan Vidheyak, 2024, the Disaster Management (Amendment) Bill, 2024, the Railways (Amendment) Bill, the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, and the Indian Ports Bill, 2024. Additionally, discussions and voting on Supplementary Demands for Grants for 2024-25 will be addressed.
An all-party meeting was held to ensure smooth functioning, with Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju urging cooperation from opposition parties. 42 leaders from 30 political parties participated, providing suggestions to be discussed in the business advisory committee.
Congress MP Pramod Tiwari highlighted issues for discussion, including an alleged bribery scam, the Manipur situation, unemployment, and pollution in North India. The meeting was presided over by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, with attendance from various Union Ministers and MPs.
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla urged members to follow parliamentary decorum, inspired by the Constituent Assembly debates and discussions.
The BJP-led Mahayuti alliance achieved a decisive victory in the Maharashtra Assembly Elections, while the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM)-led INDIA bloc retained power in Jharkhand.
Polling dates:
On November 1, eight states and five Union Territories celebrate their Foundation Day. These include Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, along with the UTs of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Chandigarh, Delhi, Lakshadweep, and Puducherry. Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended his wishes, recognizing their contributions to the nation.
In Indonesia, Prabowo Subianto became the president of the world’s third-largest democracy on October 20, 2024. He will be the eighth president of Indonesia, the country with the largest Muslim population.
The 73-year-old, a former special forces commander, won the election held on February 14, 2024, with almost 60% of the vote. His policies, like providing free meals to school children, helped him secure a strong victory.
Nayab Singh Saini was sworn in as the Chief Minister of Haryana for a second term on October 17, 2024, marking the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) third consecutive government in the state. The oath was administered by Haryana Governor Bandaru Dattatreya at a ceremony in Panchkula.
The BJP won 48 out of 90 seats in the recent elections, while Congress secured 37. The event was attended by key BJP leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, as well as NDA allies like Andhra Pradesh CM Chandrababu Naidu.
Omar Abdullah was sworn in as the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir on 16 October 2024. This is the first elected government in the Union Territory since it was reorganized in 2019 after the removal of Article 370. The oath ceremony took place in Srinagar, and Jammu and Kashmir’s Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha gave him the oath of office.
Several ministers were also sworn in, including National Conference MLAs Javed Ahmed Rana, Javid Ahmad Dar, Sakina Itoo, Surinder Kumar Chowdhary, and independent MLA Satish Sharma.
The National Conference won 42 out of 90 seats, and their ally Congress won 6.
Omar Abdullah, who was the Chief Minister from 2009 to 2014, comes from a famous political family. His grandfather, Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah, and his father, Farooq Abdullah, both served as Chief Ministers of Jammu and Kashmir.
Maharashtra will hold assembly elections in a single phase on November 20, while Jharkhand will conduct its elections in two phases on November 13 and 20. The Election Commission, led by Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar, announced the schedule for the Maharashtra and Jharkhand Assembly elections.
Additionally, bye-elections for 48 assembly seats and two Lok Sabha seats will be held on November 13, including the Wayanad Parliamentary seat, and the bye-polls for one assembly seat in Uttarakhand and Nanded Lok Sabha seat in Maharashtra will be on November 20.
On 8 October 2024, vote counting for the assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir and Haryana was completed.
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla chaired the 10th Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) India Region Conference, which concluded on 24th September 2024 in New Delhi.
The conference focused on issues like the digitisation of legislative assemblies, building the capacity of legislators, and the role of legislative bodies in promoting sustainable and inclusive development. Speakers, chairmen, and presiding officers from various states and union territories participated. Discussions highlighted the importance of making legislative bodies more engaged with the public. Participants shared innovative practices from their assemblies, and a key goal discussed was completing the digitisation of state assemblies to create a unified digital platform.
The CPA India Region, established in 2004, includes 31 branches, comprising the Indian Parliament and 30 state and union territory legislatures.
On 18 September 2024, Jammu and Kashmir saw its highest voter turnout in 35 years, with around 59 percent of voters participating in the first phase of assembly elections. The voting process was peaceful across 24 assembly constituencies in seven districts: Pulwama, Shopian, Kulgam, Kishtwar, Anantnag, Ramban, and Doda.
Youth and women voters played a key role, showing enthusiasm and trust in the democratic process. In the Kashmir division, Kulgam recorded the highest turnout with 61.57 percent, while Kishtwar in the Jammu division saw a turnout of 77.23 percent.
Polling took place across 3276 stations, with strong security and webcasting measures. Special arrangements, including home-voting and polling stations for Kashmiri migrants, were introduced to enhance participation.
On 18 September 2024, the Union Cabinet approved the ‘One Nation, One Election’ proposal. This plan aims to hold Lok Sabha and Assembly elections together, followed by local body and panchayat elections within 100 days.
The proposal is based on recommendations by a committee led by former President Ram Nath Kovind. Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw explained that it will be implemented in two phases: first, the Lok Sabha and Assembly elections, then local body elections.
The proposal will be discussed widely, and an implementation group will be formed. The committee’s report highlights that simultaneous elections can improve policy stability and voter turnout. The proposal will now go to Parliament for approval.
Arvind Kejriwal, the national convenor of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), resigned as Delhi Chief Minister on September 17, 2024. Kejriwal submitted his resignation to Delhi Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena. Kejriwal had been granted bail on September 13 in the Delhi excise policy case, with conditions imposed by the Supreme Court, including avoiding public comments about the case.
Atishi, the newly-elected legislative party leader of AAP, has staked a claim to form the new government in Delhi.
Atishi, born and raised in Delhi, began her political career as an adviser to former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia in the education ministry. She later became the Education Minister, handling multiple portfolios, and eventually succeeded Arvind Kejriwal. Atishi is a History graduate from St Stephen’s College, Delhi, and a Chevening and Rhodes Scholar. She completed two master’s degrees at Oxford University. Her parents, Vijay Singh and Tripta Wahi, were professors at Delhi University.