Cabinet Approves Waqf (Amendment) Bill Following JPC Report

The Union Cabinet has approved the Waqf (Amendment) Bill following a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) report tabled in Parliament on February 13. According to sources, the Cabinet approved the amendments during a meeting held on February 19.
The JPC report was presented in both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha during the first half of the 2025 Budget Session amid opposition protests. Opposition MPs claimed their dissent notes were redacted from the report, though the Centre denied these allegations.
The Cabinet's approval clears the path for introducing the bill in the second half of the Budget Session scheduled to begin on March 10. The JPC, led by BJP's Jagdambika Pal, recommended several amendments to the legislation despite opposition disagreement.
During committee deliberations in January, all 14 amendment clauses suggested by the ruling BJP-led NDA were accepted after voting, while proposed changes from Opposition members were rejected.
Key Features of the Waqf Bill
The Waqf (Amendment) Bill proposes a comprehensive overhaul of Waqf board governance, which oversees properties donated for religious and charitable purposes by the Muslim community. Key provisions include:
- Inclusion of at least two non-Muslim members on state Waqf boards
- Arbitration by government officials to determine whether a property qualifies as Waqf property
The JPC submitted its final report to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on January 30 after adopting the amended bill on January 29. Originally, the bill was expected to be presented during the Winter Session in November 2024 but was instead referred to the JPC for detailed examination.