Waqf Amendment Bill Cleared by Joint Parliamentary Committee: Key Amendments Approved

New Delhi: January 27, 2025

The Joint Parliamentary Committee on the Waqf Amendment Bill, 2024, has cleared the draft legislation that seeks to amend the Waqf Act of 1995. This Bill deals with longstanding issues and challenges in the regulation and management of Waqf properties across the country.

The committee, headed by BJP leader Jagdambika Pal, adopted all the amendments moved by ruling BJP-led NDA members while rejecting every change proposed by the opposition. This has fired up a fresh spree of ongoing tussle between the government and the opposition over the provisions of Bill.

The Waqf (Amendment) Bill saw an intense legislative process, with 572 amendments proposed by members of the Joint Parliamentary Committee. The consolidated list of amendments was circulated late on Sunday, paving the way for a clause-by-clause discussion during Monday’s meeting.

After thorough discussions, the committee presented the final version of the Bill, integrating all the amendments offered by the government and its sympathizers. This, however made opposition members outcry against the very process, charging that their suggestions have been sidelined.

The Waqf Amendment Bill, 2024, was moved in the Lok Sabha on 8 August by the Union Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju. It was subsequently sent to the Joint Parliamentary Committee for detailed examination.

The Bill proposes significant changes to the Waqf Act of 1995, aiming to streamline the regulation of Waqf properties and address administrative hurdles faced by Waqf boards. According to government sources, the amendments are intended to ensure greater transparency, efficiency, and accountability in the management of Waqf assets.

This has raised allegations of the lack of inclusivity in the deliberations among some opposition members. “The government has ignored several critical suggestions that could have balanced and made the Bill more effective,” an opposition MP remarked. But the party in power has supported the modifications, saying these amendments would crystallize decades-old issues related to Waqf property management.

With the Joint Parliamentary Committee’s concurrence, it is likely to be taken for final discussion and voting in the Parliament. Passage of the Waqf Amendment Bill will, then, mark an important change to the legal order governing Waqf properties in India. The Bill will soon reach its fag end of the process; debates are bound to sharpen with the approaching sessions of parliament.