Polity & Governance Current Affairs December 2025

Notified to clean up the statute book by repealing obsolete laws and making minor amendments, without affecting existing rights or ongoing proceedings.

It amends the Insurance Act 1938, LIC Act 1956 and IRDA Act 1999, with the headline change allowing 100% FDI in Indian insurance companies, plus mandatory KYC and stronger IRDAI powers.

The Viksit Bharat-Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Act replaces MGNREGA, 2005 and guarantees 125 days of wage employment per rural household per year, with biometric authentication, geo-tagging and social audits.

The Sustainable Harnessing and Advancement of Nuclear Energy for Transforming India (SHAKTI) Act repeals the Atomic Energy Act, 1962 and the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act, 2010, opening nuclear power to a new licensing framework with a Nuclear Liability Fund.

The Bill seeks to create an apex higher-education regulator and repeal the UGC Act 1956, AICTE Act 1987 and NCTE Act 1993; it was referred to a Joint Committee of Parliament.

This Finance Ministry law levies a new cess on machines/processes producing specified goods (notably tobacco and nicotine products) to fund national security and public health.

It revises the Fourth Schedule of the Central Excise Act 1944, raising duty rates on tobacco products (e.g., unmanufactured tobacco to 70% and other manufactured tobacco up to 125%).

Both Houses held a special discussion on the 150th anniversary of the National Song 'Vande Mataram' (8 December in Lok Sabha; 9-11 December in Rajya Sabha).

The Bill, which consolidates India's securities laws into a single code, was introduced and referred to the Departmental Standing Committee for examination.

The Winter Session ran 1-19 December 2025 (15 sittings) and was adjourned sine die on 19 December, with 8 Bills passed by both Houses; Lok Sabha productivity was ~110% and Rajya Sabha ~121%.