The meeting between members of the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024 and Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla has concluded and the final report on the bill has been submitted to the Lok Sabha Speaker, Om Birla.
During the submission, JPC chairman Jagdambika Pal and committee members Nishikant Dubey, Tejashwi Surya, Sanjay Jaiswal and others were present. No opposition members were present during the submission of the report.
After submitting the report, JPC chairman Jagdambika Pal lauded the members of the committee for their “significant contribution” to the constitution of the bill.
Pal stated that over the last 5 months, the committee conducted several meetings and met hundreds of delegations across the nation, adding that a report has been made after detailed deliberation and several cross-examinations.
Speaking to ANI, he said, “In the last five months, we conducted 38 meetings, met 250 delegations and members, met former judges, vice-chancellors… Report has been made after detailed deliberations.
Today we submitted that report… We did several steady tours and visited several states. All members of the JPC have made their contributions to the formation of the bill. I believe that the bill which was brought with the intention to benefits and for the welfare of poor, will fulfil it.”
When asked about opposition MPs’ absence during the submission of the report, Pal stated, “All have their own engagements. I had invited all. All opposition MPs participated in the important meetings of the amendment. They participated in the voting. They also came in the adoption. We concluded our meeting. All made significant contributions to the making of the bill and participated in the detailed deliberation and cross-examinations.
Commending the JPC efforts, committee member and BJP MP Nishikant Dubey said that no other committee has done as much work as this committee has done in the history of JPC.
“No other committee has done as much work as this committee has done in the history of JPC. We received 1.5 crore representations from all over the nation and 38 meetings of JPC were held…I think after the independence of India no such Bill has been introduced for the rights of the poor Muslim families…The politics of vote bank will come to an end,” Dubey told ANI.
Another member and BJP MP Tejashwi Surya said that this new bill would bring transparency, accountability and professionalism in the management of Waqf properties in the country.
Surya said, “It’s a very important day. The report has been submitted it’s a very important day as the report has been submitted to the Speaker. Over the last six months, detailed discussions and deliberations were held by the JPC regarding the amendments to the work factor. For a very long time, work properties were mismanaged. There was opaqueness in the management of the waqf properties. Many people who were in charge of the management of the waqf properties had themselves swindled and encroach the waqf properties.”
“On the other hand, there was also multiple instances of encroachment of government lands, private lands, lands belonging to other faiths by the people who claim to be representative of the waqf boards. So both these problems have been addressed effectively by the amendments that the Government and the MPs have introduced in the new Bill. This new bill is going to bring transparency, accountability and professionalism in the management of waqf properties all over the country….” he added.
On Wednesday, the Joint Parliamentary Committee on the Waqf Amendment Bill adopted the draft report and the amended revised bill. However, the opposition leaders also submitted their dissent notes on the report.
The Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) on Tuesday cleared the Waqf Bill 1995 with 25 amendments across 14 clauses/sections.
The Waqf (Amendment) Bill is likely to be presented during the Budget Session of the Parliament. The Budget session of Parliament will commence on January 31 and continue till April 4, with the Union Budget to be presented on February 1.
The Waqf Act of 1995, enacted to regulate Waqf properties, has long been criticised for issues such as mismanagement, corruption, and encroachments.
The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, aims to address these challenges by introducing reforms such as digitisation, enhanced audits, improved transparency, and legal mechanisms to reclaim illegally occupied properties. (ANI)
