Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday said the levy of excise on tobacco will ensure that incidence of tax on the demerit good remains same even after the expiry of the GST compensation cess.
Moving the Central Excise (Amendment) Bill, 2025, for discussion and passage in the Lok Sabha, Sitharaman said since the GST law caps maximum rate of tax at 40 per cent, the ultimate tax incidence on tobacco after removal of GST cess would come down from the current level if excise duty is not levied.
“In order to ensure that the incidence is not lower than what it was during GST with the compensation cess, we are bringing this excise. In a way we are saying cigarettes should not become affordable now because incidence has become lesser,” the minister said.
The Bill proposes to replace the GST compensation cess which is currently levied on all tobacco products like cigarette, chewing tobacco, cigar, hookah, zarda, and scented tobacco. Currently a 28 per cent GST plus cess at varied rate is levied on tobacco.
Earlier, Lok Sabha took up the Question Hour without disruptions for the first time in the ongoing Winter session, a day after the logjam over the opposition's demand for a discussion on SIR was resolved.
Since the session began on Monday, proceedings were disrupted by opposition members demanding a debate on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise ongoing in nine states and three Union territories. — with PTI
December 3, 2025 2:30 pm
The Finance Minister says loans taken to meet revenue loss during Covid to be repaid in next couple of weeks.
December 3, 2025 1:50 pm
Ashwini Vaishnaw said there is a need to take strict action against those who create AI-generated deep fake videos and spread false information. Vaishnaw also informed the Lok Sabha that the government is working on framing new rules for curbing fake news and AI-generated deep fake videos and strengthening the institutional mechanism for that. "There is need for making fine delicate balance between fake news and freedom of speech," he said. Replying to a question on online betting activities, Vaishnaw said PM Modi's government has enacted a very strong law to curb the online money games.
December 3, 2025 1:47 pm
AIADMK member I S Inbadurai flagged the catastrophic impact of cyclone Ditwah on Tamil Nadu's farmers during Zero Hour in the Rajya Sabha, urging the Centre to immediately dispatch an assessment team as thousands of acres of cropland remains submerged. Cyclone Ditwah and the ensuing monsoon rains have devastated paddy, banana, sugarcane, betel and other crops across the delta region. The MP invoked former Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami's repeated demands to the state government to dig canals and ponds before the monsoon to prevent such disasters. He said proper survey of crop damage and timely assistance to affected farmers had not been provided.
December 3, 2025 1:46 pm
Congress MP Randeep Singh Surjewala flagged concerns related to Sanchar Saathi mobile application in the Rajya Sabha, saying it completely negates the right of privacy of every individual. Raising the issue, he said a clear apprehension is that features of the application would point out real-time geo-location of every user, monitoring of the search history, financial transaction and a possible monitoring of conversations through SMS and WhatsApp. Surjewala said pre-installation of Sanchar Saathi app is a clear breach of privacy of every smartphone and cell phone users of India. "Would this not completely negate the right of privacy of every individual? And a possible kill switch, sir, will turn every cellphone into a brick. If the government then wants, then every cellphone of every journalist, every opposition leader, every dissident, it will become a pure simple brick by use of a kill switch," said the Rajya Sabha member from Rajasthan.
December 3, 2025 1:43 pm
BJP MPs raised issues ranging from power infrastructure in Uttar Pradesh to banking services in Bihar during Zero Hour in the Rajya Sabha, while a Congress MP sought increase in deposit insurance cover from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 25 lakh. Raising the issue of rising power demand in Uttar Pradesh, BJP's Tejveer Singh said initiatives like smart city, data centre parks and electric mobility have led to record power consumption in the state, creating a burden on meeting energy needs during peak demand hours in many districts. BJP's Dharmshila Gupta sought further strengthening of banking services in Bihar, saying despite positive changes through schemes like Jan Dhan, Mudra, Kisan Credit Card and Self-Help Groups (SHGs), credit flow remains below expectations.
December 3, 2025 12:40 pm
On MP Dola Sen raising additional issues, Leader of the House J P Nadda objected, saying, "You permitted her to speak during Zero Hour about the change of name from Raj Bhavan to Lok Bhavan. She spoke about MGNREGA and other issues. I would like to be very clear that because it does not relate to the subject, it should be deleted and it should not be brought on record and only issues related to Lok Bhavan should be admitted." Chairman C P Radhakrishnan concurred, reiterating that "anything deviated from the subject will not go on record". Leader of the Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge came to Sen's defence, arguing, "She has not spoken any unparliamentary word. Everything is connected with the subject. And that subject was examined in your office, after that she spoke." Accusing the government of stifling debate, Kharge said, "The Leader of the House cannot interfere and say whatever is said is unparliamentary and delete it. The Leader (of the House) is bulldozing. You don't want to run according to parliamentary democracy." Nadda defended his intervention, stating, "I never bulldozed", and clarified that he was only requesting that matters related to the subject remain on record.
December 3, 2025 12:31 pm
The Rajya Sabha witnessed a heated exchange after AITC member Dola Sen raised the issue of the Ministry of Home Affairs' November 25 directive to rename all Raj Bhavans in the country as Lok Bhavans during Zero Hour. However, the discussion took a contentious turn when Sen raised additional issues, including MGNREGA, prompting the Chair to intervene and state that the deviated remarks would not go on record.
December 3, 2025 12:11 pm
In Lok Sabha, Scindia said the app is for the protection of the people. Sanchar Saathi app se "na snooping sambhav hai, na snooping hoga", the minister said during Question Hour. In the context of the discussions about the app, the minister also said the government wants to give power to the people to help them protect themselves.
December 3, 2025 11:59 am
See this yourself-
As the Parliamentary Affairs Minister of India, I am deeply hurt & ashamed by the behavior of Opposition MPs.
We may have differences but when it comes to India's image we should put aside all differences.
मैं, 'विपक्षी सांसदों' के व्यवहार से अत्यंत दुखी हूं। https://t.co/I5GJsfmXGm">pic.twitter.com/I5GJsfmXGm</a></p>— Kiren Rijiju (@KirenRijiju) December 2, 2025
December 3, 2025 11:52 am
Leaders of several opposition parties met in Parliament to discuss their joint strategy for the Winter Session. Floor leaders of various parties, including the Congress, DMK, RJD, SP, JMM, CPI-M, CPI, IUML, NCP-SP, and SS-UBT, attended the meeting, while Trinamool Congress (TMC) skipped it. The TMC was also absent from the last meeting of Opposition leaders, held on December 1 — the first day of the Winter Session. Leaders of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, and in Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge, were present at the meeting, which was held in Kharge's chamber. During the meeting, the leaders also stressed that their unity and continued pressure on the government have forced it to agree to their demand for a discussion on Electoral reforms, including SIR.
December 3, 2025 11:39 am
Several Opposition MPs, including Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and former party chiefs Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, protested on Wednesday against the new labour codes in Parliament House complex and demanded their scrapping. MPs of the Congress, DMK, TMC, Left parties, among others, participated in the protest in front of the Makar Dwar of Parliament. Carrying posters and placards against the new labour codes, the opposition MPs raised slogans demanding their rollback. The MPs also held a large banner which read - 'No to Corporate Jungle Raj, Yes to Labour Justice'.
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