Big day from 18 to 20 September for Wakf Amendment Bill, know what will happen in JPC meeting

New Delhi: Wakf Board But such allegations of land grabbing have been made that a large section of the country has started fearing it. Although there is a demand to end the system of Waqf Board, but at least it has become necessary to curb its unlimited powers. For this reason, the Modi government at the Center has introduced the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024 in Parliament. The Lok Sabha has sent it to the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC), which has held four meetings. Now the time has come to know the opinion of the parties. For this, there will be a meeting of JPC for three consecutive days from 18 to 20 September.

Big meeting of JPC on Waqf Board

In the meeting to be held at the Parliament House complex (Parliament House Annex), officials of the Ministry of Minority Affairs will give their opinion on the bill. Various stakeholder groups and experts will then be consulted about their views and recommendations. Opposition parties have resolved to oppose the bill and not support it in the upcoming session of Parliament, after which it was referred to the JPC. The committee has to submit its report to the Lok Sabha Speaker before the next session.

Know when and whose turn it is on 18, 19, 20 September

However, on September 18, the first day of the three-day meeting, officials from the Ministry of Minority Affairs will present oral evidence before the JPC. The next day, September 19, the committee will hear the views and suggestions of some experts and stakeholders. These include Professor Faizan Mustafa, Vice Chancellor of Chanakya National Law University, Patna; Pasmanda Muslim Mahaz; and All India Muslim Personal Law Board. Then on September 20, views on the bill will be sought from All India Sajjadanashin Council, Ajmer; Muslim Rashtriya Manch, Delhi; and Bharat First, Delhi.

The bill has been introduced in the Lok Sabha

The Modi government had introduced the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024 and the Muslim Waqf (Abolition) Bill, 2024 in the Lok Sabha on August 8. These bills aim to reform the modus operandi of the Waqf Board and ensure efficient management of Waqf properties. According to a statement by the Ministry of Minority Affairs on Friday, the bill aims to amend the Waqf Act, 1995 to address the problems and challenges faced in regulating and managing Waqf properties.

The ministry said, ‘Its (bill’s) objective is to remove the shortcomings of the previous Act and increase the efficiency of the Wakf Board. This includes changes such as changing the name of the Act, updating the definitions of Wakf, improving the registration process and increasing the role of technology in the management of Wakf records.’

ASI also gave a presentation

The government said that the primary objective of the Muslim Waqf (Abolition) Act, 2024 is to repeal the Muslim Waqf Act, 1923. It is a colonial law that has become outdated and irrelevant for the management of waqf properties in modern India. The fourth meeting of the JPC since its formation was held on September 6 to examine the bill. In the last meeting, senior officials of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) made a presentation before the JPC. Apart from this, other parties including Zakat Foundation of India and Telangana Waqf Board also shared their views, suggestions and oral evidence.