Waqf Board Amendment Bill 2024
Waqf Board Act
In Short
The Waqf Board Bill suggests appointing a former judge to the Central and State Waqf Boards, mirroring the current practice of appointing retired judges to head major institutions like the Human Rights Commission.
Union Minority Minister Kiren Rijiju introduced the Waqf Board Amendment Bill 2024 in Lok Sabha amid opposition. The government plans to revise Waqf Board laws to help impoverished Muslims, aiming for a more democratic strategy. Muslim scholars are expecting major changes with this amendment. The national government intends to introduce significant changes to the Waqf Board Act to improve the Muslim community.
Waqf Board Amendment Bill 2024
Amendment 1: The Waqf Board Bill proposes the appointment of ex-judges to the Central and State Waqf Boards, which reflects the existing custom in institutions such as the Human Rights Commission. This maneuver is focused on improving transparency and efficiency in the operations of the boards.
Amendment 2: The local public representative, no matter their faith, sits on both central and state Wakf Boards, enabling non-Muslims to participate. Political parties that prioritize Muslim concerns might be against this. In West Bengal, despite objections, a Muslim was selected by Mamata Banerjee’s administration to lead a temple committee. The ruling could lead to non-Muslims becoming members of the Central Waqf Board. The central government displays a progressive stance as Union Minister Kiren Rijiju states that officials do not need to be from the same community to protect a religion’s interests.
Amendment 3: Central government requires two women members on state and Central Waqf Boards to increase women’s involvement and empowerment.
Amendment 4: Adding trained officers to the Waqf Board will improve its functioning and help avoid unnecessary legal complications in Waqf affairs.
Amendment 5: Modern technology will convert information on Waqf Board properties into digital format in order to protect them from being confiscated by others. Atiq Ahmed and Mukhtar Ansari reportedly abused their influence to acquire valuable lands from the board, but digitalization will prevent such fraudulent activities.
Amendment 6: Any disagreements related to the Waqf Board need to be settled within six months, with a possibility of appeal within three months. Numerous cases are still in process between the central government and state levels, causing delays in providing justice to individuals trying to recover land from the Waqf Board. The majority of petitioners are poor Muslims who require legal help to get their property back.
Amendment 7: The bill suggests giving power to the District Collector and District Magistrate to decide whether a property is owned by the Waqf Board. The highest authority in land matters, the District Magistrate, can give official information on whether land belongs to the Waqf Board or the government. This adjustment is intended to stop unauthorized land seizures by the Waqf Board and settle associated disagreements, ultimately decreasing disputes regarding land possession.
Decrease in authority of Waqf Board chairmen
As sole authority on land ownership resided with the Chairman. Their power will be restricted by the upcoming change.
Amendment 8: Arrangements should be created for Shia, Sunni, Bohra, and Ahmadiyya groups within current Waqf boards in order to uplift marginalized Muslim factions. Nevertheless, this could result in disagreements among Islamic branches, as seen during the bill introduction. The All India Muslim Personal Law Board and Sunni Jamaat are against the changes, whereas the Sufi community is in favor, potentially deepening the divide.
Amendment 9: The Comptroller and Auditor General of India has been given permission by the Central Government to audit all transactions of the Waqf Board in order to improve transparency. This decision could encounter resistance due to political factors. At present, there exists a governmental system for overseeing the financial transactions of important Hindu temples, in contrast to the Waqf Board.
Amendment 10: The Comptroller and Auditor General of India has been given authority by the Central Government to audit all transactions of the Waqf Board for the purpose of transparency. In spite of pushback from politicians, this step seeks to tackle the lack of oversight on Waqf Board finances in comparison to Hindu religious sites. By having the appropriate paperwork such as a Waqfnama, conflicts regarding ownership of property can be settled, which is advantageous for the Muslim society. This legal shift is seen as groundbreaking in protecting their interests.
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