New Delhi: The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024 is all set to be tabled in Parliament on Wednesday with both the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Congress issuing whips to their MPs to ensure their presence in the House. The bill will be tabled after the Question Hour for consideration and passing, and following that, an 8-hour discussion will be held, which is also subject to an increase.
In line with the BJP and Congress, their allies have also issued a whip to all their MPs to be present in the parliament on April 2 and 3.
Kiren Rijiju to move Waqf Amendment Bill
Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju will move the Waqf Amendment Bill of 2025, which aims to amend the Waqf Act of 1995, for passing.
After this, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will move that the amendments made by Rajya Sabha in the Banking Laws (Amendment) Bill of 2024, which further amends the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934, the Banking Regulation Act, 1949, the State Bank of India Act, 1955, the Banking Companies (Acquisition and Transfer of Undertakings) Act, 1970, and the Banking Companies (Acquisition and Transfer of Undertakings) Act, 1980, be taken into consideration.
In the meantime, Union Ministers Jitendra Singh, L Murugan and Ravneet Singh will "lay papers on the table" for their respective ministries.
What is Waqf and what’s its meaning?
In simple words, waqf is a charitable or religious donation, mostly made in the form of property by Muslims. These donations are made without valid documentation and then proceed from such donations are used to maintain mosques, graveyards and fund madrasas and orphanages.
After a property is designated as waqf, it cannot be transferred or sold. Reports suggest that Waqf boards in the country control 8.72 lakh properties, amounting to over 9.4 lakh acres.
How much land does Waqf Board control?
According to government data, the Waqf boards control 8.7 lakh properties across 9.4 lakh acres in India, with an estimated value of Rs 1.2 lakh crores. Notably, India has the largest waqf holding in the world. It is more interesting to note that the Waqf Board is the largest landowner in India after the Armed Forces and the Indian Railways.
How many movable, immovable properties under Waqf Board?
As per the government data, there are 8,72,328 immovable and 16,713 movable properties registered under Waqf Board. There are also 3,56, 051 Waqf Estates registered under Waqf Board.
What issues Waqf Bill can address?
The bill aims to amend the Waqf Act, 1995, to redress the issues and challenges in regulating and managing Waqf properties. The Amendment Bill seeks to improve the administration and management of waqf properties in India. It aims to overcome the shortcomings of the previous act and enhance the efficiency of Waqf boards by introducing changes such as renaming the Act, updating the definitions of waqf, improving the registration process, and increasing the role of technology in managing waqf records .
The Waqf Act of 1995, enacted to regulate Waqf properties, has long been criticised for issues such as mismanagement, corruption, and encroachments.