Parliament's Joint Committee on Waqf (Amendment) Bill to Hold First Meeting Next Week

The first meeting of Parliament's joint committee on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, chaired by BJP's Jagdambika Pal, is scheduled for next week. Representatives from minority affairs and law and justice ministries will discuss the proposed amendments. The Bill introduces reforms for Waqf property registration through a centralised portal and proposes to establish a Central Waqf Council.

The first gathering of the Parliament's joint committee to discuss the Waqf (Amendment) Bill is set for next week.

Chaired by BJP member Jagdambika Pal, the committee will consult with representatives from the ministries of minority affairs, and law and justice on August 22, according to a notice from the Lok Sabha secretariat.

The minority affairs ministry representatives are expected to present detailed briefings on the proposed amendments to the Bill, the secretariat said.

This Bill marks the NDA government's first major effort to reform the registration process of Waqf properties via a centralised portal.

Among its proposed reforms, the Bill suggests the establishment of a Central Waqf Council in addition to state Waqf Boards, featuring representation from Muslim women and non-Muslim individuals.

A controversial provision in the Bill seeks to empower district collectors as the authoritative figures in classifying properties as Waqf or government land.

Introduced in the Lok Sabha on August 8, the Bill was moved to the joint committee amidst a heated debate. While the government has reassured that the law will not disrupt the functioning of mosques, opposition parties have criticized it as targeting Muslims and threatening the Constitution.

(With inputs from agencies.)