Waqf Bill, Committee, Amendment, JPC, Meeting

The panel will hear state representatives of Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan on December 26. It will hear state representatives of Uttar Pradesh, Odisha and Delhi on December 27. On Thursday, the JPC met Muslim representatives from Lucknow and Rajasthan in its meeting.

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Talking to a news agency after the meeting, its chairman and BJP MP Jagdambika Pal said, “Former VC of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti Language University, Lucknow and former chairman of Rajasthan Waqf Board came with their proposed amendments. There was a clause-by-clause discussion on it. MPs also posed questions to them.” The committee included Syed Abubakar Naqvi, the former Chairman and State Minister of the Waqf Board in Rajasthan, and Prof. Mahrukh Mirza, the former Vice Chancellor of Khwaja Chishti Moinuddin Language University, Lucknow.

Earlier, on Wednesday, the JPC held a meeting with the All India Shia Personal Law Board members. The committee heard the views of the board on the Bill.

Recently, the Lok Sabha approved a motion to extend the tenure of the JPC on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill and mandated the presentation of their report by the end of the 2025 Budget Session. On December 5, Jagdambika Pal, head of the JPC, noted that the committee had held 27 meetings in Delhi before the extension of its tenure. These meetings included discussions with multiple stakeholders and various ministries of the Government of India.

The JPC comprises 21 members from the Lok Sabha and 10 from the Rajya Sabha, including 13 Opposition members (nine from the Lower House and four from the Upper House).

The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, aims to bring significant reforms, including digitisation of records, stricter audits, increased transparency, and legal mechanisms to reclaim illegally occupied Waqf properties. The Bill, aimed at reforming the management and regulation of Waqf properties across the country, has been deferred due to heated debates and disruptions within the JPC between ruling BJP members and Opposition leaders.

The JPC is holding a series of meetings to gather input from government officials, legal experts, Waqf Board members, and community representatives from different states and Union Territories, aiming for the most comprehensive reform possible.