Waqf Amendment Bill Likely to Debut in Budget Session 2025

New Delhi: The government is gearing up to introduce the Waqf Amendment Bill during the Budget Session 2025, set to kick off on January 31. The session will open with President Droupadi Murmu’s address to a joint sitting of Parliament and will span 27 sittings until April 4.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will present the Union Budget 2025-26 on February 1, marking her eighth consecutive budget presentation. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju confirmed, “The Hon’ble President will address the joint sitting of both Houses on January 31 at 11:00 AM in the Lok Sabha Chamber. The Union Budget 2025-26 will be presented the following day.”

The session will proceed in two phases:

• First Phase (January 31 - February 13): Includes discussions on the President’s address, budget debates, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s response to the Motion of Thanks.

• Second Phase (March 10 - April 4): Focuses on finalizing ministry grant demands and passing the budget.

The introduction of the Waqf Amendment Bill signals the government’s focus on key legislative reforms during this critical parliamentary session.