Joint Parliamentary Committee report on Waqf (Amendment) Bill tabled in the Parliament



The report of the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, was tabled in both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha.

The JPC Chairman explained, “Today the JPC will produce its report in the Parliament. To have a detailed discussion and deliberation, the JPC was formed six months ago. In the last six months, we have prepared a report after touring the whole nation. We have adopted 25 amendments in 14 clauses."

The Waqf Act of 1995, enacted to regulate Waqf properties, has long been criticised for issues such as mismanagement, corruption and land grab. The Amendment Bill now aims to streamline designation and management of Waqf properties.

Key changes include a stipulation that only a person practicing Islam for at least five years may declare a waqf property and clarifies that the person must own the property being so declared. It removes designation of land as ‘waqf by user’ and lays out a procedure for mutation as per revenue laws with due notice to all concerned before recording any property as waqf property.

At least two non-Muslim members will be appointed on state Waqf boards and a government official will decide if a property is Waqf property or not. Appeals against the Tribunal will now be permitted in the High Court. Special provision as to the evacuee waqf properties and Act to have overriding effect, have been dropped. Provisions for digitisation, enhanced audits and improved representation and transparency have been introduced.

The Opposition created a ruckus in both houses and staged a walkout. Hitting out at the opposition, Union Minister and BJP president JP Nadda said "Some were trying to fight the Indian state" - a seeming reference to Rahul Gandhi's controversial remark last year.

The budget session has broken for a recess and is set to resume on Mar 10. The government is expected to bring the Waqf (Amendment) Bill next month to the Parliament for legislating it into an Act, after first getting a cabinet approval.

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