JPC Panel Adopts Amended Waqf Bill; Opposition Calls It 'Unconstitutional', To Give Dissent Note

The JPC approved the Waqf (Amendment) Bill draft report and amended bill. The report will be presented to the Speaker on Thursday, with dissenting MPs given until 4 PM to submit their notes.

Members of the Joint Parliamentary Committee share a light moment after a meeting on the Waqf Amendment Bill, in New Delhi on January 29, 2025.

Source : PTI

The Joint Committee of Parliament chairperson Jagdambika Pal said that the panel adopted the Waqf (Amendment) Bill draft report and the amended version of the proposed law with a majority vote on Wednesday.

Jagdambika Pal said, as news agency ANI quoted," The draft report and amended bill has been adopted by a majority. Now we will present it before the Speaker tomorrow ..."

#WATCH | Chairman of JPC on Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, BJP MP Jagdambika Pal says," The draft report and amended bill has been adopted by a majority. Now we will present it before the Speaker tomorrow ..." pic.twitter.com/uGBWiNma4X

— ANI (@ANI) January 29, 2025

As per the details, 16 members voted in favour, while 11 opposed it. The Members of Parliament (MPs) have been given time till 4 PM to submit their dissent.

However, the opposition MPs, some of whom have given their dissent, slammed the exercise as undemocratic, claiming that they were given little time to study the final report and frame their dissent notes.

TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee, said, "I have given my dissent note... We received a 656-page draft yesterday around 7:55 pm... The observation and recommendation of the committee in this report are wholly perverse. Statements of the victims have not been taken into consideration. What we said during the course of deliberations has not been taken into consideration... The question that arises is, whether the stakeholders' view which we have expressed, why did it not appeal to the chairman. According to me, the JPC proceedings have turned into mockery... All other views have been totally ignored..."

#WATCH | Delhi | On meeting of JPC on Waqf Amendment Bill 2024, TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee says, "I have given my dissent note... We received a 656-page draft yesterday around 7:55 pm... The observation and recommendation of the committee in this report are wholly perverse.… pic.twitter.com/dOB02hbpHM

— ANI (@ANI) January 29, 2025

AIMIM MP Asaduddin Owaisi said that he gave dissent report against the amendments which are not in favour of the Waqf Board, and added that he will oppose the bill in the Parliament.

#WATCH | On the meeting of JPC on Waqf Amendment Bill 2024, AIMIM MP Asaduddin Owaisi says," We received the 655-page report last night. It is humanly impossible to read a 655-page report overnight. I have given a dissent report against the amendments which are not in favour of… pic.twitter.com/nRHUV3k96w

— ANI (@ANI) January 29, 2025

The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, was referred to the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) on August 8, 2024, following its introduction in the Lok Sabha by Union Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju.

The Bill aims to amend the Waqf Act, 1995, to address issues and challenges in regulating and managing Waqf properties.