The Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) on the Wakf Amendment Bill approved the draft with 14 amendments after six months of discussion.
Amendments in Wakf Act
Non-Muslim members in Wakf panel
- Two members of the Wakf panel can be Hindu or of other religion.
- As per Clause 11, the ex-officio member (whether he is a Muslim or not) will be excluded from the count of non-Muslim members.
Eligibility to donate property to Wakf
- As per Clause 14, a person can donate property to Wakf only if:
- He has been practising Islam for five years.
- The property is free from any fraud or dispute.
Change in composition of Wakf Tribunal
- Now the Wakf Tribunal will have three members instead of two.
- The third member will be an Islamic scholar.
Monitoring of Waqf Property
- Any officer appointed by the state government will now have the right to monitor and inspect Waqf properties.
- Earlier this right was only with the collector who conducted the survey.
- Appeal on land disputes: According to the new bill, the claimant on the land can now appeal to the Revenue Court, Civil Court or High Court in addition to the Tribunal.
- Appeal against the decisions of the Waqf Tribunal: Now an appeal can be made in the High Court against the decision of the Waqf Tribunal.
Waqf Amendment Bill 2024
Introduction of the Bill
- The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024 and the Muslim Waqf (Repeal) Bill, 2024 were introduced in the Lok Sabha on August 8, 2024.
- They aim to improve the management of Waqf properties and solve administrative problems.
Major amendments
- Transferring the governance of Waqf Board and Tribunal under the state governments.
- Centralising administrative control in the Waqf system.
Significance of the Bill
- Transparency and accountability: Strengthens monitoring and regulation to prevent misuse and mismanagement of Waqf properties.
- Simplification of administrative processes: Updating processes and improving record-keeping using technology.
- Protection of properties: Tighter penalties and increased powers of Waqf boards to prevent encroachment and illegal transfers.
- Inclusion and diversity: Mandatory participation of women and non-Muslims in Waqf boards, thereby increasing community representation.
- Resolving historical problems: Enacting new rules to address corruption and mismanagement of Waqf properties.