Parliamentary Committee Seeks Broad Perspectives on Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024

A Joint Parliamentary Committee, led by BJP MP Jagdambika Pal, is engaging diverse stakeholders including community leaders and intellectual groups to discuss the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024. Aimed at addressing issues of mismanagement, the Bill proposes reforms through digitization and stricter governance of waqf properties.

The Joint Parliamentary Committee on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, convened its session under the leadership of BJP MP Jagdambika Pal in the Parliament Annexe on Monday. Key representatives from major community organizations, such as Jamaat-e-Islam-e-Hind and the Muslim Women Intellectual Group, presented their testimony on the bill's implications.

For the first time, the committee has invited a women's group to partake in the discussion, underscoring a significant expansion of dialogue inclusivity. Inputs were further enriched with perspectives from Jamiyat Himaytul Islam, led by Qari Abrar Jamal, and other notable figures including Shia Muslim scholars and the Vishwa Shanti Parishad.

The committee is set to reconvene on November 5, to hear from a wider range of stakeholders. This consultative series is part of a national movement aiming to tackle mismanagement issues long associated with waqf properties by implementing reforms such as digitization and increased oversight.

(With inputs from agencies.)