The Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) in New Delhi recently made some important changes to the Waqf (Amendment) Bill of 2024. On Monday, the committee approved several amendments, or changes, to the bill. Interestingly, all of the changes accepted were suggested by members of the ruling NDA party. Conversely, every change proposed by members of the Opposition party was rejected.
One major change involves the composition of the Waqf board. Specifically, the committee agreed to increase the number of non-Muslim members on the panel. This decision came after the committee went through the bill section by section. During this process, they carefully considered 44 total amendments. They ultimately voted to accept 14 of these amendments, all of which were proposed by NDA members. This shows that members of the committee have differing views on the bill and its content.
These changes mark a significant shift from the original version of the bill. Because of this, the amendments have led to much discussion and disagreement. The opposition views the changes to the panel’s structure as a major issue. However, a source close to the JPC stated, “The amendments were carefully considered and voted on.” This highlights the formal process the committee followed during its review of the bill.
Now that the JPC has approved these changes, the bill is closer to becoming a law. The new structure of the board, with more non-Muslim members, will have a big impact on the management of Waqf properties across the country. The changes have sparked controversy, but those involved in the process emphasize that they were properly reviewed and voted on. Therefore, the bill is now moving forward, likely to be passed into law soon.