New Delhi, Aug 22 (UNI) The first meeting of the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) on the Waqf (Amendment) bill 2024 began at the Parliament House Annexe in New Delhi on Thursday.
The 31-member committee, headed by BJP member Jagdambika Pal, has been tasked by the Lok Sabha to scrutinise the contentious bill and discuss issues pertaining to the Bill with all the stakeholders, including muslim bodies.
“There is an objective in this bill that people should benefit and a reform has been brought. We will discuss all 44 amendments and bring a good and comprehensive bill by the next session,” Jagdambika Pal said.
He said, “The bill has been referred to the JPC and the ruling of Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla is that it needs to be submitted by the last day of the first week of the next session,” he told the reports before the meeting.
On August 8, the government introduced the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, in the Lok Sabha which was later referred to the JPC for further scrutiny amid concerns raised by the opposition.
The bill introduced by Union Minister of Minority Affairs Kiren Rijiju aimed at amending the law governing Waqf boards. It proposes far-reaching changes in the Wakf Act, 1995.
It proposes several reforms, including establishing a Central Waqf Council alongside State Waqf Boards with representation for 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.
It also seeks to provide for the establishment of a separate Board of Auqaf for Boharas and Aghakhanis.
