JPC adopts revised Waqf bill by majority vote, Opposition cries foul

The Bill aims to amend the Waqf Act, 1995, to address issues and challenges in regulating and managing Waqf properties.

The Joint Committee of Parliament scrutinising the Waqf (Amendment) Bill on Wednesday adopted its draft report and the amended version of the proposed law with a majority vote, JPC chairperson Jagdambika Pal said.

The MPs have been given time till 4 pm to submit their dissent. Opposition MPs, some of whom have given their dissent, slammed the exercise as undemocratic, claiming that they were given little time to study the final report and frame their dissent notes.

Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Arvind Sawant said all opposition members will give their dissent. Pal is likely to submit the amended version of the proposed law to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Thursday. The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, was referred to the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) on August 8, 2024, following its introduction in the Lok Sabha by Union Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju.

The Bill aims to amend the Waqf Act, 1995, to address issues and challenges in regulating and managing Waqf properties.

The Joint Parliamentary Committee on Monday cleared the Waqf Amendment Bill - which seeks to make 44 changes to the way Muslim charitable properties are managed in the country - with 14 alterations to the draft tabled in the House in August last year. Overall 66 had been proposed - 23 by MPs from the ruling BJP and 44 from opposition members - to the committee led by BJP MP Jagadambika Pal.