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The joint parliamentary committee, which is currently examining the bill, is slated to discuss every clause of the bill in its two sittings on January 24 and 25
Waqf (Amendment) Bill Waqf JPC Chairman Jagdambika Pal shows a petition he received after a meeting with local farmers. (PTI)
The centre may introduce the Waqf Amendment Bill 2024 in the upcoming budget session of parliament, according to sources.
The joint parliamentary committee (JPC), which is currently examining the bill, is slated to discuss every clause of the bill in its two sittings on January 24 and 25. The official communication to the committee stated, “Members are requested kindly to send the notices of amendments, if any, to various clauses of the bill by January 22.”
There will be several steps to be followed before the committee submits its report to parliament.
DRAFT TO FINAL REPORT
- The proposed amendments will be circulated among members and the nodal ministry — the ministry of law and justice. Members will move their amendment, and it will be put to vote and results will be announced by the chair, which will also be a part of the record. Similarly, members’ suggestions on the bill will also be discussed, for which no voting would be required.
- Based on the clause-by-clause consideration, the draft report will be finalised and shared with the legislative department. The bill, as amended by the committee, will be prepared by the legislative council, ministry of law and justice.
- The draft report will also be sent to the Hindi translation wing and to the ministry for factual verification.
- Then the draft report along with the amended bill, as prepared by the legislative council, will be submitted to the chairperson for approval.
- Once approved by the chair, it will be circulated to the members. Draft report and the bill, as amended, will be considered by the committee. After adoption of the report by the committee, a date will be given by the chairperson to the members for giving dissent note/minute of dissent to the secretariat. After the examination of dissent note/minute of dissent by the Secretariat, the final report will be presented in the house.
PANEL EXAMINED 2 DOZEN WAQF BOARDS
Sources aware of the development say that once the draft report is submitted to Parliament, the union government is likely to bring in the bill in the upcoming budget session. This bill was referred to the joint Parliamentary committee in August last year and Jagdambika Pal led the panel.
Recently, during the winter session of 2024, the committee got an extension to submit its report before parliament up to the last day of the upcoming budget session.
As per the data available, the committee so far has examined more than two dozen Waqf boards, and eight-nine state representatives have come before the panel in Parliament. So far, more than 42 organisations/stakeholders have appeared before the committee.
