Parliament panel approves changes to Waqf Bill including rule on 2 non-Muslim members
New Delhi/IBNS: A joint parliamentary committee (JPC) has voted in favour of 14 changes proposed to the Waqf Amendment Bill's draft version, which had been tabled in the Lok Sabha in August last year.
The bill seeks to make 44 contentious alterations to the way Muslim charitable properties are managed in the country.
The 14 changes include distinguishing between the mandatory two non-Muslim members - as specified in the original draft of the bill - and nominated ex-officio members (Muslim or non-Muslim), said reports.
This means waqf councils, whether at state or pan-India levels, will have at least two, and possibly more (if the nominated ex-officio members are also not Muslim) members who don't belong to the Islamic faith.
गरीब मुसलमान को हक दिलाने तथा कांग्रेस पार्टी के वोट बैंक की राजनीति के कारण हिन्दू समाज को दोयम दर्जे का नागरिक बनाने की साज़िश को बेनक़ाब कर आज संसद की संयुक्त समिति ने वक़्फ़ संशोधन विधेयक पारित किया । अब यह क़ानून बनेगा pic.twitter.com/eXxmEZZjVS
— Dr Nishikant Dubey (@nishikant_dubey) January 27, 2025
Another key change is directing an officer nominated by the concerned state to determine if a property is 'waqf'.
In the original draft, this decision was left to the District Collector.
These changes were proposed by members of the ruling BJP, including Lok Sabha MPs Nishikant Dubey, Tejasvi Surya and Aparajita Sarangi.
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