New Delhi

Ahead of the Parliament’s winter session, Jagdambika Pal, Chairman of the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) on the Waqf Amendment Bill 2024, met with Muslim delegations on Saturday. The delegations, which included representatives from Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi University professors, Islamic scholars, and the former Vice Chancellor of Lucknow, submitted a memorandum regarding the proposed Waqf Board Amendment.

Pal shared that the delegations expressed support for the Bill, drawing a parallel to the abolition of Triple Talaq. They emphasized that, similar to the benefits gained from the Triple Talaq law, the Waqf Amendment would positively impact women and children.

The JPC is set to present its report on the bill by the end of the first week of Parliament’s winter session, which runs from November 25 to December 20. The reform of the Waqf Act aims to address issues of mismanagement, corruption, and encroachments on waqf properties.

Since its formation, the JPC has conducted 25 meetings, engaging 123 stakeholders from various states, Waqf boards, and minority commissions. The proposed Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, seeks to bring transparency, digitization, stricter audits, and legal mechanisms to reclaim illegally occupied properties, ensuring that waqf properties are used for the community’s benefit.