New Delhi:
Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) Chairman Jagdambika Pal will submit a report of JPC on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2024 in the Lok Sabha on Monday. In this report, views and evidence on various aspects of the bill are presented. This report will be introduced in both Hindi and English languages. The report will also include a record of all the evidence which were presented before the Joint Committee. This evidence is important to discuss the provisions of the bill and their purpose is to ensure effective and equitable implementation of the bill.
In this bill, some significant improvements have been proposed for management, operation and monitoring of Waqf properties. The purpose of this bill is to improve the use of Waqf properties. JPC held a detailed discussion about the bill and obtained evidence from various aspects on it. Now this report will be presented in the Lok Sabha and the further legislative process will be accelerated.
Many significant changes have been proposed in the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024 in the Waqf Act, 1995. Recently, the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) has approved 14 amendments in this bill.
- Non-Muslim members will also get space: It will now be mandatory to include two non-Muslim members in the State Waqf Board and the Central Waqf Parishad. Earlier there was a provision that these members would be ex-official, but now ex-officio members have been separated from it.
- Female representation: Sections 9 and 14 of the Waqf Act, 1995 will be amended to include female representatives in the structure of the Waqf Board, ensuring gender diversity.
- Improvement in verification procedures: Compulsory verification procedures will be implemented for claims of Waqf properties, which will increase transparency and prevent illegal occupations.
- Role of District Magistrate: The participation of District Magistrates will be increased to oversee Waqf properties, which will improve administrative monitoring.
- Reduction in Waqf Board powers: Some provisions will be removed to limit the uncontrolled powers of the Waqf Board, so that they will not be able to declare any property without any necessary investigation.
- Digitization of Waqf properties: The process of digitization for better management of Waqf properties will be promoted.
- Better audit system: The audit system of Waqf properties will be improved to ensure financial transparency.
- Prevention of illegal occupation: The legal system will be improved to withdraw illegally occupied Waqf properties.
- Appointment of Waqf Board members: The state government will be allowed to nominate all the members of the Waqf Board, which will improve the appointment process.
- Increase in the powers of Waqf Tribunal: The powers of the Waqf Tribunal will be increased, so that the disputes related to Waqf can be disposed of rapidly.
- Strict action on unauthorized transfer of Waqf properties: Provisions of strict punishment will be made for unauthorized transfer of Waqf properties.
- Appointment of Chief Executive Officer: For the Waqf Board, a senior level officer will be appointed as the Chief Executive Officer, which will improve administrative work.
- Computerization of Waqf properties: The records of Waqf properties will be computerized, which will improve data management.
- Changes in the structure of Waqf Board: By changing the structure of the Waqf board, it will be made more effective, ensuring representation of different communities.
JPC has submitted report to Lok Sabha Speaker
Earlier, on Thursday, JPC President Jagdambika Pal submitted the report of the committee to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla. This 655 -page report included the suggestion given by the MPs of the ruling party. Opposition MPs had claimed this report as unconstitutional and claimed that this step would ruin the Waqf Board. At the same time, according to the MPs of the ruling party, this will help in bringing modernity, transparency and accountability in the management of Waqf properties. The report of the committee headed by Jagdambika Pal was approved by 15 votes against 11.
In the year 2024, Union Minority Affairs Minister Kiran Rijiju introduced the Waqf (Amendment) Bill in the Lok Sabha. Later on August 8, the Bill was sent to the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC). The objective of the bill introduced by the government is to amend the Waqf Act, 1995 to resolve issues and challenges related to regulating and managing Waqf properties.
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