The Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, will hold its next meeting on November 21, 2024, in the Parliament House Annexe building in New Delhi. This upcoming meeting marks the 26th session in a series of deliberations on the bill.
Since its formation, the JPC has been consistently working to assess and address various aspects of the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, and this session will continue that process.
During this meeting, the Ministry of Minority Affairs is expected to present before the committee, offering insights and clarifications on key provisions of the bill. The discussions are crucial as the committee continues to examine the intricacies of the proposed amendments to the Waqf Act, 1995, which aims to regulate and manage waqf properties more effectively.
The previous meeting of the JPC was held on November 11 in Bhubaneswar, where members reviewed different perspectives on the bill. However, a planned study tour by the committee members to Kolkata, Patna, and Lucknow has been postponed.
This decision was made following requests from several MPs who are currently occupied with election duties in Maharashtra, Jharkhand, and other states where by-elections are being held. JPC Chairperson Jagadambika Pal confirmed this development and indicated that the study tour would be rescheduled once the election period concludes.
The committee’s ongoing work is part of a broader effort to address long-standing issues related to the Waqf Act. The Waqf Act, originally passed in 1995, has been under scrutiny due to allegations of mismanagement, corruption, and encroachment on waqf properties.
The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024 seeks to address these concerns by implementing comprehensive reforms. These include the digitization of records, stricter audits, greater transparency, and legal provisions aimed at reclaiming illegally occupied waqf properties.
The JPC’s deliberations involve consultations with a variety of stakeholders, including government officials, legal experts, Waqf Board members, and representatives from different states and Union Territories. Their goal is to ensure that the amendments are both effective and fair, fostering a more transparent and accountable system for managing waqf properties.
The committee’s journey began earlier this year with meetings across several states. These meetings, held in cities like Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Chennai, Bengaluru, and Guwahati, have allowed the committee to gather valuable input from local officials and stakeholders.
Each of these meetings contributed to shaping the discussions and provided an opportunity to address regional concerns regarding the management of waqf properties.
The upcoming meeting on November 21 will play a key role in further refining the details of the bill. As the JPC works through the complex issues surrounding the regulation of waqf properties, their efforts are expected to bring about significant changes that could improve transparency and efficiency in the system.
The bill's proposed reforms are aimed at curbing the misuse of waqf properties and ensuring that these assets are used for their intended purposes, such as social welfare, education, and community development.
Follow us
