Winter Session: A Sign of Shrinking Legislative Accountability?
Image credit X @OmBirla
Observers fear the 15-day Winter Session reflects a deepening erosion of legislative oversight as the executive tightens its grip on governance.
By TRH Political Desk
New Delhi, November 9, 2025 — The upcoming Winter Session of the Indian Parliament will last only 15 days, scheduled from December 1 to December 19. This unusually short session has sparked questions about the diminishing effectiveness and accountability of legislative institutions in a system increasingly dominated by the executive.
Analysts and parliamentary observers note that while the Indian Parliament has historically met for adequate sittings each year, several state assemblies have been convening less frequently—sometimes for just a day or two. This trend, if mirrored at the national level, could weaken India’s parliamentary democracy, which relies on legislative oversight of the executive.
Instances like the Delhi Assembly meeting for just a day or two under the Aam Aadmi Party government, and similarly short sessions in Odisha and southern states, have already raised alarms about a shrinking space for debate and accountability.
Data from PRS Legislative Research shows that the shortest Winter Session in recent decades was in 2007 under the UPA government, lasting only 14 days. Since 2014, when the Modi government came to power, session durations have gradually shortened, with the exception of the pandemic year (2020) when no session was held. The 2022 session, for example, was scheduled for 17 days but lasted only 13, while the 2023 session ran for 14 days.
This year’s 15-day schedule repeats that pattern, prompting concerns that parliamentary scrutiny over executive decisions is weakening. A strong democracy depends on a legislature that can hold the government accountable,” says journalist Manish Anand, who raised the issue in his recent analysis.
Quoting Abraham Lincoln’s famous definition of democracy—“government of the people, by the people, for the people”—Anand reminds that Parliament’s authority lies in ensuring executive accountability. Every rupee spent by the government requires Parliament’s approval, and detailed spending must be presented to MPs.
He also notes the declining attendance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Parliament, who often attends only on the first and last days of a session. In contrast, previous leaders like Atal Bihari Vajpayee, P.V. Narasimha Rao, and Manmohan Singh were known for their consistent presence during debates.
“The shrinking duration of sessions and the absence of the Prime Minister from key debates both raise serious questions about the respect accorded to parliamentary traditions,” Anand argues.
As Parliament prepares to convene for just 15 days, political observers warn that India may be witnessing the same troubling pattern already visible in several state assemblies—where the legislature is reduced to a mere formality rather than a forum of democratic debate.
Follow The Raisina Hills on WhatsApp, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, and LinkedIn
About The Author
