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The Joint Parliamentary Committee on Waqf Amendment Bill held key meetings in Lucknow on Tuesday. Jagdambika Pal, Chairman of the JPC l said that it will be the last meeting of the JPC and after this, they will present its report in the Parliament during the budget session, scheduled for January 31.
Speaking to the media, Pal highlighted that in Lucknow, the committee had a detailed discussion with the stakeholders of the state government. "After that, people from Jamiat-Ulema and several other places came. Then, we spoke with the office-bearers of the Bar Association and many other organizations," he said. "This is the last meeting of the JPC. We have already visited several states. This is the final leg of the tour, and after this, we will present the JPC report in the budget session. The Government of India has proposed 44 amendments, and we have given time until tomorrow for our members to provide their final views on them," Jagdambika Pal added. He mentioned that on January 24th-25th, the Committee will have a meeting in Delhi and discuss the clauses one by one. "The JPC is a committee with members from different parties. All discussions have taken place in a good environment. I am hopeful that we will provide a report that will benefit the people in the coming days. In the last six months, we have held 34 meetings in Delhi alone. I thank all the MPs who attended all these meetings. I believe it will be a very good report, and based on it, a good law will be made to ensure that Waqf properties are used for their intended purposes," the JPC Chairman said. The Joint Parliamentary Committee on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill is to submit its report during the budget session. The term of the committee was extended during the winter session of Parliament. The Waqf Act of 1995, enacted to regulate Waqf properties, has long been criticised for issues such as mismanagement, corruption, and encroachments. Notably, the budget session of Parliament will commence on January 31 and continue till April 4, with the union budget to be presented on February 1. The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, aims to address these challenges by introducing reforms such as digitisation, enhanced audits, improved transparency, and legal mechanisms to reclaim illegally occupied properties. (ANI)
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