NEW DELHI, April 2: Union Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju, on Wednesday, tabled the controversial Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025, as proposed by a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC), in the Lok Sabha for consideration and passage.

The Bill seeks to improve the administration of Waqf properties, introduce technology-driven management, address complexities, and ensure transparency.

Introducing the bill, Rijiju highlighted that the consultation process of the JPC was the largest ever exercise carried out by a parliamentary panel in India’s democratic history.

He stated that over 97.27 lakh petitions and memorandums were received by the JPC through both physical and online formats and that the JPC had thoroughly reviewed each of them before finalizing its report.

The minister further mentioned that 284 delegations submitted their views on the bill, along with the Waqf boards of 25 states and Union Territories. Additionally, legal experts, charitable organizations, academicians, and religious leaders provided their opinions.

“The government is not going to interfere in any religious institution. The changes made in the Waqf law by the UPA government gave it overriding effect over other statutes, hence the new amendments were required,” Rijiju said, amid noisy opposition protests.

Accusing the opposition of misleading people, Rijiju asserted, “You tried to mislead the people on issues which are not part of the Waqf Bill.”

He further emphasized that the bill has nothing to do with religion but deals only with properties.

Key Provisions of the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025:

• Trusts created by Muslims under any law will no longer be considered Waqf, ensuring full control over such trusts.
• Only practising Muslims (for at least five years) can dedicate their property to Waqf, restoring the pre-2013 rules.
• Women must receive their inheritance before Waqf declaration, with special provisions for widows, divorced women, and orphans.
• An officer above the rank of collector will investigate government properties claimed as Waqf.
• In case of disputes, the senior government official will have the final say on whether a property belongs to Waqf or the government, replacing the existing system where such decisions were made by Waqf tribunals.
• The bill proposes the inclusion of non-Muslim members in the central and state Waqf boards for inclusivity.

Earlier, Speaker Om Birla rejected the opposition’s objections that the government has no power to insert new provisions in the amended bill.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah defended the bill, stating that it had undergone an extensive consultation process by the JPC before being tabled in Parliament.

Shah explained that the bill was first introduced in August 2024 and was later referred to the JPC, as sought by the House. The JPC then held extensive deliberations before finalizing its report.

The JPC report was approved by the Union Cabinet before the bill was tabled in the House.

“This is a democratic committee. This committee did not act like the Congress-constituted committee. It followed proper procedure and consultations,” Shah said.

As debates over the bill continue, opposition leaders have raised strong concerns, while the government remains firm in its stance that the amendments will bring greater transparency and efficiency to Waqf property management.