Quick reads
- Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman moved the Central Excise (Amendment) Bill, 2025, in the Lok Sabha on Day 2 of the Winter Session.
- The bill seeks to amend the Central Excise Act, 1944 and rework levies on tobacco and related “sin” goods.
- A separate Health Security and National Security Cess is proposed for pan masala and other notified goods.
- The government says the changes are linked to the phase-out of the GST compensation cess and aim to secure public health and revenue.
- The move comes amid Opposition protests in Parliament on other issues; debate and voting were expected during the sitting.
Where it happened
The bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha during the Winter Session of Parliament in New Delhi. Proceedings on Day 2 saw the Finance Minister table the Central Excise (Amendment) Bill while the House managed other business amid protests by Opposition members.
How it happened
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman formally moved the bill for consideration and passage. Parliamentary live-coverage and government statements say the legislation was tabled and listed for discussion as part of the session’s tax and fiscal agenda. The House record shows the government intends to press the bill through the standard stages of consideration.
What we know so far
- The Central Excise (Amendment) Bill, 2025, would restructure central excise duties on tobacco products and related items, effectively replacing parts of the GST compensation cess regime with specific excise rates and a new cess mechanism for certain goods.
- The Health Security and National Security Cess Bill would apply to pan masala and other notified items; the revenue is described by officials as earmarked for public health and national security needs.
- Media and government reports note that the bills are intended to maintain high taxation on harmful products and to ensure predictable revenues as the GST compensation cess winds down.
