Waqf Board amendment bill: JPC to hold next meeting today; Islamic scholars to be part of dicsussion

New Delhi [India], November 4 (ANI): Chairman of Joint Parliamentary Committee for Waqf Amendment Bill Jagdambika Pal on Monday said that a series of meetings will take place on November 4 and 5 to gather input from a wide range of stakeholders on the issues related to the Waqf Board amendment bill.

The Joint parliamentary committe chairman Jagdambika Pal said that he aims to involve various groups, including Islamic scholars, former judges, lawyers from the Supreme Court and high courts, and minority organizations to hold a detailed discussion on the Waqf Board Amendment bill
"When the resolution for the Joint Parliamentary Committee was brought by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju, he said that he wanted to refer it to the JPC so that we could call more and more stakeholders, intellectuals, Islamic scholars, former judges, lawyers of the Supreme Court and high court, minority organisations," Chairman of Joint Parliamentary Committee for Waqf Amendment Bill Jagdambika Pal said while speaking to ANI.

Pal emphasized the importance of these discussions, stating that the JPC will engage with representatives from Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind and other notable organizations, such as Dawoodi and Vohra, to ensure a comprehensive understanding of the bill.

"We have a meeting on November 4 and 5. We have called Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind, intellectual women. We have called other organisations on November 5, Dawoodi, Vohra. We will meet various stakeholders on Nov 4 and 5," Jagdambika Pal added.
"I think that all members of the JPC must take the Waqf bill into consideration, know all the aspects and then make a detailed report out of it," he said.

A meeting of Joint Committee of Parliament on Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, chaired by BJP MP Jagdambika Pal was held on October 28.

The Committee also called Call for Justice (Group led by Chander Wadhwa, Trustee), Waqf Tenant Welfare Association, Delhi and Harbans Dunkall, President, Residents Welfare Association (All Blocks), B.K. Dutt Colony, New Delhi to record their views and suggestions.

The Waqf Act, 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. (ANI)