January 29, 2025: The Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) has adopted the draft report of the Waqf (Amendment) Bill with a majority vote, according to JPC Chairperson Jagdambika Pal. The amended version of the proposed law saw 16 votes in favor, while 11 members opposed it.

The committee members were given until 4 pm today to submit their dissent notes. As of now, several opposition leaders, including Trinamool Congress MPs Kalyan Banerjee and Nadimul Haque, DMK MP A Raja, AAP leader Sanjay Singh, and Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Arvind Sawant, have formally expressed their opposition.

Opposition MPs have voiced strong criticism of the process, accusing the committee of giving them insufficient time to review the final report. Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Arvind Sawant condemned the move as “undemocratic” and confirmed that all opposition members would submit dissent notes in protest.

The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, introduced in the Lok Sabha by Union Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on August 8, 2024, aims to amend the Waqf Act of 1995, addressing issues related to the regulation and management of Waqf properties.

The committee, in a meeting on January 27, 2025, adopted all amendments proposed by the ruling BJP-led NDA, while rejecting suggestions from opposition members during a clause-by-clause discussion. Key amendments approved include increasing the number of non-Muslim members on the panel, with two members now being allowed from non-Muslim communities, and permitting state government officials and district magistrates to hold certain roles. Additionally, the number of Waqf tribunal members has been increased from two to three.

Jagdambika Pal is expected to submit the revised Waqf (Amendment) Bill to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Thursday, January 30, 2025.