Waqf Amendment Act Bill 2024: What Stakeholders Opposed In Second JPC Meeting

New Delhi: The Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) on Friday held its second meeting to discuss Waqf Amendment Bill 2024 as the stakeholders discussed issues like powers being given to district collectors, removal of ‘Waqf by user’ clause among others. The JPC will next meet on September 5 or 6.

The Waqf Amendment Bill 2024 seeks to reforming the registration process for Waqf properties through a centralised portal.

According to a statement issued by the Lok Sabha Secretariat, the committee led by BJP's Jagdambika Pal has asked for "views/suggestions from the public in general and NGOs, experts, stakeholders and institutions in particular" considering the "wider implications" of the bill People have been asked to share their suggestions in writing in the next 15 days.

Outcomes of Second JPC meet on Waqf Amendment Act?    

• The stake holders opposed provisions mentioned in the draft bill including powers being given to the district collectors including surveying the waqf properties and being the final authority for the decision making and removal of “waqf by user” clause.
• Waqf properties can be donated only by practicing muslim of five years — opposed by the Muslim organisation. The intent of the proposed amendment was also questioned by the stakeholders.
• Notably, the opposition parties largely expressed their support to the concerns raised by the Muslim organisation in the meeting.
• As per sources, parties such as DMK objected to inclusion of non-Muslims in the Waqf board — an objection which was raised by the Muslim organisation as well.
• India bloc MPs also had heated arguments with the BJP members of the JPC.

The Bill is the first major initiative from the BJP-led NDA government aimed at reforming the registration process for Waqf properties through a centralised portal.

It proposes several reforms, including establishing a Central Waqf Council alongside state Waqf Boards with representation to Muslim women and non-Muslim representatives.

A contentious provision of the Bill is the proposal to designate the district collector as the primary authority in determining whether a property is classified as Waqf or government land.

The Bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha on August 8 and referred to a joint committee of Parliament after a heated debate with the government asserting the proposed law did not intend to interfere with the functioning of mosques and the opposition calling it a targeting of Muslims and an attack on the Constitution.

With inputs from PTI