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All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) spokesperson SQR Ilyas has raised serious concerns over alleged constitutional and procedural violations by the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) handling the Waqf Amendment Bill 2024, including alterations to previously agreed dates, according to a statement.
On Wednesday, he stated that the JPC should seek suggestions and opinions solely from relevant persons or organisations directly involved with Waqf matters (the stakeholders). However, the committee is reportedly consulting Central Ministries, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), RSS-affiliated organisations, and other groups without standing in society, the statement noted. Ilyas further highlighted that opposition members in the JPC had previously written to the Lok Sabha Speaker, raising complaints about the conduct of the committee's chairman, Jagdambika Pal. "Yesterday, six opposition members again wrote to the Speaker, expressing their disappointment over the chairman's behaviour, which they claimed is obstructing fair discussion," read the statement from Mohd Vaquar Uddin Latifi, Office Secretary. The statement added that when the Waqf Amendment Bill 2024 was first introduced in Parliament, it faced significant opposition, leading to its referral to the JPC. "We demand that the objections of AIMPLB and reputable Muslim organisations be seriously considered. Unrelated parties who have no connection to Waqf matters should be excluded. The JPC must not hastily submit its report but instead follow prescribed guidelines and procedures, ensuring a comprehensive discussion among all members before presenting the report," the statement added. Notably, the Waqf Act of 1995, which was established to regulate Waqf properties, has faced longstanding allegations of mismanagement, corruption, and encroachment. The Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2024 aims to introduce significant reforms, including digitisation, stricter audits, transparency, and legal measures to reclaim illegally occupied properties. The JPC is conducting a series of meetings to gather input from government officials, legal experts, Waqf Board members, and community representatives from various states and Union Territories to ensure comprehensive reforms. (ANI)
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