The Joint Parliamentary Committee on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill
The Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, held its first meeting after the extension of its tenure on December 5th, 2023. The meeting focused on addressing disputes over properties between Waqf and state governments.
The JPC Chairman, Jagdambika Pal, explained that the committee's tenure has been extended till the next Parliament session. He also informed that the committee has held 27 meetings in Delhi before the extension of its tenure, and today's meeting marked the 28th session.
During these meetings, discussions were held with several stakeholders and ministries of the Government of India, including the Waqf Boards of all states, the minority commission, state government officials, and six ministries of the Government of India.
The JPC aims to prepare a comprehensive report on the matter by discussing with maximum stakeholders and ministries. The committee has reviewed the work of six ministries and around 195 organisations, of which 146 organisations were heard across the country. The secretariat also received nearly 95 lakh suggestions related to the Waqf Bill.
The Waqf Act of 1995, which was created to regulate waqf properties, has long faced allegations of mismanagement, corruption, and encroachments. The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024 seeks to bring sweeping reforms, introducing digitisation, stricter audits, transparency, and legal mechanisms to reclaim illegally occupied properties.
The JPC is holding a series of meetings to gather input from government officials, legal experts, Waqf Board members, and community representatives from different states and Union Territories, aiming for the most comprehensive reform possible.