February 27th 2025.
As per sources, the Union Cabinet has given its approval to the proposed changes in the Waqf Bill, which were suggested by the Joint Parliamentary Committee recently. This development was reported on Thursday. The Bill will now be presented for discussion and approval during the second half of the budget session, which is scheduled to take place from March 10 to April 4. The first half of the budget session was held from January 31 to February 13.
The Cabinet met on February 19 and accepted 14 out of the 44 amendments recommended by the JPC. These amendments pertain to the laws governing central and state Waqf boards. The proposed changes, which include the appointment of non-Muslim and women members to a Waqf Board, had sparked protests from the opposition. The Bill was initially introduced in the Lok Sabha in August 2024 by the Minister of Minority Affairs, Kiren Rijiju, and was later referred to the JPC for further review.
Sources have revealed that the government has incorporated most of the changes suggested by the JPC, which was headed by Jagdambika Pal, and the Cabinet gave its clearance for the amended Bill last week, along with the Indian Port Bill. Some of the key amendments to the Bill include renaming it as the 'Unified Waqf Management, Empowerment, Efficiency and Development Bill', including a member from the Muslim OBC community in the State Waqf Boards, ensuring women's inheritance rights, and uploading details of all Waqf properties on a central portal within six months.
On August 8, 2024, two Bills - the Waqf Bill, 2024, and the Mussalman Wakf Bill, 2024 - were introduced in the Lok Sabha with the aim of streamlining the functioning of the Waqf Board and ensuring effective management of Waqf properties. The main objective of the Waqf Bill, 2024, is to amend the Waqf Act, 1995, and address the challenges and issues faced in regulating and managing waqf properties. The proposed amendments aim to enhance the administration and management of waqf properties in India by updating the definitions, simplifying the registration process, and incorporating technology in maintaining waqf records.
Similarly, the primary purpose of the Mussalman Wakf Bill, 2024, is to repeal the Mussalman Wakf Act, 1923, which is a colonial-era legislation that has become outdated and inadequate for managing waqf properties in modern India. According to a government press release, the repeal of this act is necessary to ensure uniformity, transparency, and accountability in the administration and management of waqf properties and eliminate any discrepancies caused by the continued existence of this obsolete law.
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