# The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024

The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024 was introduced in the Indian Lok Sabha on 8 August 2024. It seeks to repeal Mussalman Wakf Act, 1923 and amend the Waqf Act, 1995. The Act regulates waqf property in India, and defines Waqf as an endowment of movable or immovable property for purposes considered pious, religious, or charitable under Muslim law. Every state is required to constitute a Waqf Board to manage waqf. The Bill renames the Act to ‘United Waqf Management, Empowerment, Efficiency and Development Act, 1995’ (UWMEEDA 1995).

## Overview

* The Act allows waqf to be formed by: (i) declaration, (ii) recognition based on long-term use (waqf by user), or (iii) endowment when the line of succession ends (waqf-alal-aulad). The Bill states that only a person practicing Islam for at least five years may declare a waqf. It clarifies that the person must own the property being declared. It removes waqf by user. It also adds that waqf-alal-aulad must not result in denial of inheritance rights to the donor's heir including women heirs.
* Omitting the provisions relating to the “waqf by user”.
* Providing the functions of the Survey Commissioner to the Collector or any other officer not below the rank of Deputy Collector duly nominated by the Collector for the survey of waqf properties.
* Providing for a broad based composition of the Central Waqf Council and the State Waqf Boards and ensuring the representation of Muslim women and non-Muslims.
* Providing for establishment of separate Board of Auqaf for Boharas and Aghakhanis.
* Providing for representation of Shia, Sunni, Bohra, Agakhani and other backward classes among Muslim communities.
* Streamlining the manner of registration of waqfs through a central portal and database.
* Providing for a detailed procedure for mutation as per revenue laws with due notice to all concerned before recording any property as waqf property.
* Reforming the Tribunal structure with two members and providing for appeals against the orders of the Tribunal to the High Court within a specified period of ninety days.
* Omission of section 107 so as to make the Limitation Act, 1963 applicable to any action under the Act; and omission of sections 108 and 108A relating to special provision as to evacuee waqf properties and Act to have overriding effect.
* Renaming of the Waqf Act, 1995 as the Unified Waqf Management, Empowerment, Efficiency and Development Act, 1995.

## Joint Parliamentary Committee

A 31-member JPC has been established to review the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024. The committee will comprise 21 members from the Lok Sabha and 10 from the Rajya Sabha. The formation of the committee was announced by MoMA Kiren Rijiju on 9 August 2024. Trinamool Congress MP Kalyan Banerjee boycotted the JPC meeting.

## Waqf amendment bill Oppose 2024

Waqf Amendment Bill Oppose 2024
* United Opposition support for Muslim board on Waqf Bill; TDP, JD-U stay away from protest
Opposition parties, including the Congress, Trinamool, and Left parties, join protest organised by the AIMPLB against the Bill; AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi says the BJP’s allies, TDP and JD(U), will never be forgiven if they support the Bill