Lok Sabha Updates: New Bills Passed in 2025 and Their National Impact

In 2025, India’s Lok Sabha, convened in New Delhi during the Budget Session (January 31–April 5), passed several transformative bills with far-reaching implications for the nation’s economy, governance, and social fabric. These include the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, Bills of Lading Bill, Finance Bill, and Immigration and Foreigners Bill, among others. The bills address long-standing issues like colonial-era laws, minority welfare, and economic modernization. Through legislative reforms aimed at transparency, global alignment, and inclusive growth, they shape India’s path toward Viksit Bharat by 2047, though debates on X and in Parliament reveal mixed sentiments.

Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025

Passed on April 2, 2025, by the Lok Sabha and April 4 by the Rajya Sabha, the Waqf (Amendment) Bill aims to streamline Waqf property management, enhancing transparency and inclusivity. With 128 votes in favor in the Rajya Sabha, it promotes social welfare for Muslim women, particularly widows, and ensures representation from diverse Muslim sects. BJP MP Jagdambika Pal called it a “historic” reform for poor Muslims, but opposition leaders like Congress’s Mallikarjun Kharge criticized it as unconstitutional, alleging it curbs Waqf autonomy.

Bills of Lading Bill, 2025

On March 10, 2025, the Lok Sabha passed the Bills of Lading Bill, replacing the 169-year-old Indian Bills of Lading Act of 1856. It modernizes India’s maritime legal framework with clearer language and global standards, streamlining shipping operations and boosting trade competitiveness. Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal highlighted its role in reducing bureaucratic hurdles.

Finance Bill, 2025

Passed on March 25, 2025, the Finance Bill, part of the Union Budget 2025-26, was cleared to promote tax certainty and ease of doing business. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman emphasized simplified tax slabs and relief measures, aiming for Viksit Bharat by 2047. However, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor criticized its “patchwork solutions,” pointing to regressive GST burdens, with Rs. 20 lakh crore collected in 2023-24.

Immigration and Foreigners Bill, 2025

Introduced on March 11, 2025, this bill regulates foreigners’ entry and stay, repealing colonial laws like the Foreigners Act, 1946. It mandates visa requirements and establishes a Bureau of Immigration, addressing issues like abrupt US visa revocations for Indian students, as raised by Congress MP Manish Tewari.

National Impact and Debate

These bills modernize India’s legal and economic frameworks, aligning with global standards and addressing minority welfare, trade, and taxation. However, opposition voices, amplified on X, argue they prioritize government control or corporate interests, with only 2% of taxpayers bearing the fiscal load, per Tharoor’s remarks. With 250 bills introduced in the 18th Lok Sabha, per the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs, India’s legislative push signals ambition but faces scrutiny for inclusivity and federalism, shaping its journey toward 2047.

-By Manoj H