NEW DELHI: A contentious Bill to amend 44 sections of the existing Waqf Act of 1995, like ensuring representation of non-Muslim individuals and Muslim women in Central and state Waqf bodies, is expected to be introduced in the Lok Sabha on August 8, sources aware of the development said.
The Opposition will press for sending the proposed legislation the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024 to the Parliamentary Standing Committee, once it is formed, for greater scrutiny, The Tribune has learnt.
The Bill has been opposed by Muslim bodies, who claim the government wants to exert greater control over Waqf boards. The decision of tabling the bill was taken during the Business Advisory Committee (BAC) meeting of the Lok Sabha, which was held on Wednesday morning.
Another Bill, called the Mussalman Wakf (Repeal) Bill, 2024, will also be introduced to abolish the Mussalman Wakf Act of 1923. Both the Bills will be introduced by Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju. In the BAC meeting, the Opposition led by the Congress is learnt to have conveyed to the government that it would seek to send the Bills to the Parliamentary committee for scrutiny. Sources said that as the Waqf (Amendment) Bill is very detailed, the Opposition parties sought time to go through its provisions.
While the JD(U), one of the key allies of the BJP-ruled NDA does not have representation in the BAC, the TDP remained non-committal over the introduction of the Bill in the meeting, sources said.
The Waqf (Amendment) Bill also proposes to streamline the manner of registration of Waqf properties through a Central portal as well as their “better management”. It further proposes renaming the Waqf Act as the Unified Waqf Management, Empowerment, Efficiency and Development Act, 1995.