New Delhi: As Parliament convenes for its Winter Session 2025, a remarkable array of Private Members’ Bills has been introduced by MPs across party lines, covering issues ranging from criminal law and constitutional amendments to labour rights and urban employment schemes. These bills, though rarely passed into law, reflect a growing willingness among legislators to propose bold reforms on pressing social, legal, and governance issues.
A Private Member’s Bill is a legislative proposal introduced by a member of Parliament who is not a minister. Historically, very few such bills become law — only 14 have passed since independence, and none have been enacted by both Houses since 1970. Despite this, the Winter Session has seen MPs using the platform to spark national debates and push forward progressive agendas.
Marital Rape and Consent-Based Criminal Law
One of the most significant bills this session has been introduced by Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, who has proposed legislation to criminalise marital rape. India currently does not recognise non-consensual sex within marriage as a criminal offence, a legal gap that has drawn sharp criticism from activists and legal experts.
Tharoor’s bill argues that marital rape is not a private marital matter but a violation of fundamental human rights, and calls for India to move from a “no means no” standard to an “only yes means yes” consent framework. Speaking on the bill, Tharoor said, “Marital rape is not about marriage but about violence. The moment for action has arrived.”
In addition, Tharoor introduced two other bills: one to establish a permanent States and Union Territories Reorganisation Commission, aimed at streamlining the process of state boundary changes, and another to amend the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020, enhancing protections for workers.
Labour Rights and the ‘Right to Disconnect’
Labour welfare has also been a key focus. NCPSP MP Supriya Sule introduced the Right to Disconnect Bill, 2025, seeking to protect employees from work-related communications, such as calls and emails, outside office hours. The bill proposes the creation of an Employees’ Welfare Authority to monitor compliance and empower workers to maintain a boundary between professional and personal life — a concept increasingly relevant in the age of remote work and 24/7 connectivity.
Sule has also moved the Paternity and Paternal Benefits Bill, 2025, which seeks to grant paid paternal leave, ensuring fathers have a legal right to participate in their child’s early development. Similarly, Congress MP Kadiyam Kavya and Shambhavi Choudhary of LJP proposed bills related to menstrual health, including paid menstrual leave and access to hygiene facilities.
Urban Employment and Governance Reforms
On governance and social welfare, Trinamool Congress leader Derek O’Brien moved a bill in the Rajya Sabha proposing a guaranteed urban employment law, modelled on the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA). The legislation aims to address the urban unemployment crisis by providing work opportunities to citizens in cities and towns, thereby extending social security to urban labourers.
Meanwhile, Aam Aadmi Party MP Raghav Chadha has proposed two separate bills: one granting citizens the “right to recall” elected representatives who fail to perform their duties, and another proposing maximum punishments for sacrilege against key religious texts, including the Bhagwat Gita, Holy Quran, Holy Bible, and Sri Guru Granth Sahib ji.
Constitutional Amendments and Death Penalty Reforms
Some MPs are seeking more radical reforms. BJP MP Bhim Singh moved the Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2025, seeking to remove the words “socialist” and “secular” from the Preamble. According to Singh, these terms were added during the Emergency and are unnecessary, creating confusion in contemporary legal and political discourse.
DMK MP Kanimozhi Karunanidhi has introduced a bill to abolish the death penalty, highlighting ongoing debates around human rights, justice reform, and alternatives to capital punishment.
Judicial Transparency, Language Policy, and Animal Welfare
The Winter Session has also witnessed bills targeting administrative and judicial reforms. TMC MP Saket Gokhaleproposed legislation for accurate transcription and public access to court records, aiming to improve judicial transparency and accountability. BJP MP Ganesh Singh introduced a bill advocating for the use of Hindi in Supreme Court proceedings, reflecting the party’s push for linguistic inclusivity in legal institutions.
Additionally, nominated Rajya Sabha MP Sudha Murty moved an amendment to the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, reinforcing animal welfare laws, while Independent MP Vishaldada Prakashbapu Patil proposed legislation to protect journalists from violence and ensure their safety in the performance of their duties.
The Political and Legislative Context
The ongoing Winter Session, which began on December 2 and will conclude on December 19, provides MPs with a platform to present private members’ bills, even though the likelihood of these being enacted remains slim. Last year’s session ran from November 25 to December 20, and saw similar legislative activism, though very few bills translated into law.
While these bills may not pass, they serve as policy statements and instruments for debate, highlighting issues that often do not receive sufficient attention in government-led legislation. From workplace rights and women’s safety to constitutional reforms and urban employment, these proposals reflect the breadth of challenges facing Indian society today.
Experts note that the bills also signal a renewed emphasis on Parliament as a forum for debate and innovation, rather than solely a rubber-stamp for executive proposals. By introducing these bills, MPs can raise public awareness, push for accountability, and influence government policy, even if the bills themselves do not become law.
Key Bills Introduced in the Winter Session 2025
- Marital Rape Bill – Shashi Tharoor (Congress)
- States & UT Reorganisation Commission Bill – Shashi Tharoor (Congress)
- Occupational Safety Amendment Bill – Shashi Tharoor (Congress)
- Right to Disconnect Bill, 2025 – Supriya Sule (NCPSP)
- Paternity and Paternal Benefits Bill, 2025 – Supriya Sule (NCPSP)
- Menstrual Benefits Bill, 2024 – Kadiyam Kavya (Congress)
- Paid Menstrual Leave Bill – Shambhavi Choudhary (LJP)
- Abolition of Death Penalty Bill – Kanimozhi Karunanidhi (DMK)
- Urban Employment Guarantee Bill – Derek O’Brien (TMC)
- Use of Hindi in Supreme Court Bill – Ganesh Singh (BJP)
- Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2025 – Bhim Singh (BJP)
- Protection of Journalists Bill, 2024 – Vishaldada Prakashbapu Patil (Independent)
- Transcription & Public Access to Court Records Bill – Saket Gokhale (TMC)
- Amendment to Animal Cruelty Act – Sudha Murty (Nominated RS MP)
Conclusion
The Winter Session 2025 has showcased a diverse spectrum of legislative ambitions, with MPs introducing bills that address some of the most debated social, legal, and governance issues in contemporary India. While the historic success rate of private members’ bills remains low, these proposals signal a vigorous parliamentary engagement and highlight pressing concerns around human rights, labour welfare, judicial transparency, and constitutional reforms.
In a democracy as large and complex as India, such initiatives underscore the role of Parliament not just as a law-making body but as a platform for dialogue, advocacy, and reform. Whether or not these bills are passed, they are likely to influence public discourse and policy-making in the coming years.
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