The Union Cabinet has officially approved the Waqf (Amendment) Bill following the presentation of a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) report in Parliament on February 13, as per several media reports.
The report was tabled in both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha during the first half of the 2025 Budget Session, sparking significant uproar from opposition parties.
The Union Cabinet has officially approved the Waqf (Amendment) Bill following the presentation of a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) report in Parliament on February 13, as per several media reports.
The bill, which seeks to overhaul the governance of Waqf boards, was endorsed by the Cabinet during a meeting on February 19, sources confirmed to India Today.
The report was tabled in both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha during the first half of the 2025 Budget Session, sparking significant uproar from opposition parties. This led to brief adjournments in both Houses as Opposition MPs raised concerns about the contents of the report.
Opposition members claimed that their dissent notes were removed from the JPC report. However, the centre swiftly denied these allegations.
Despite the controversy, the JPC report, which contained recommendations for amending the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, was approved by the Union Cabinet, clearing the path for its introduction in the second half of the Budget Session, slated to begin on March 10.
The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, which aims to streamline the registration of Waqf properties, has been the subject of intense debate. The JPC, headed by BJP leader Jagdambika Pal, suggested a series of amendments to the bill. The committee라이브 바카라 approval came after months of deliberation and a clause-by-clause discussion.
In January, the committee approved all amendments put forward by members of the ruling BJP-led NDA, while rejecting all changes proposed by the Opposition. A total of 44 amendments were moved, with 14 clauses amended by NDA members, all of which were accepted after a vote.
The Waqf (Amendment) Bill proposes a complete overhaul of the governance of Waqf boards, which manage properties donated by the Muslim community for religious and charitable purposes. Among the key provisions in the bill is the requirement that state Waqf boards include at least two non-Muslim members. It also introduces an arbitration process, where a government official would decide whether a property qualifies as Waqf property.
The bill was initially expected to be introduced during the Winter Session in November 2024 but was referred to the JPC for further examination.
After careful deliberation, the JPC presented its final report to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on January 30, with the revised version of the bill adopted by the panel on January 29.