Waqf Bill: JPC report set for parliament debate amid opposition’s dissent

The Jagdambika Pal-led Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) will present its report on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, in Parliament on Monday, February 3, 2025. This comes amid ongoing discussions in the Budget Session. BJP MP Jagdambika Pal, along with Sanjay Jaiswal, will table the report in both Hindi and English. They will also provide the evidence record that supported the conclusions the committee reached.

Pal met Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Thursday to present the final report. He confirmed that the report and the revised bill were adopted. For the first time, the bill includes a section stating that the benefits of Waqf properties should be directed towards marginalized groups, including women, the poor, and orphans. Pal emphasized that amendments had been made to 14 out of the 44 clauses. After a majority vote, the committee adopted these changes.

The JPC had previously cleared the Waqf Bill of 1995 with 25 amendments across several clauses. However, opposition leaders have expressed strong dissent. AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi claimed parts of his dissent note were removed from the final report. He accused JPC chairperson Jagdambika Pal of silencing opposition voices. According to Owaisi, the deleted sections were factual and not controversial.

The Waqf Act of 1995 regulates Waqf properties but has faced criticism over issues like mismanagement, corruption, and encroachments. The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, aims to tackle these problems. It introduces reforms such as digitization, enhanced audits, improved transparency, and stronger legal actions to reclaim illegally occupied properties. These changes are designed to address long-standing challenges and ensure Waqf properties benefit those who need them the most.

The bill and its amendments will be debated further once the JPC report is tabled in Parliament, amid the ongoing row over opposition objections.