New Delhi: India’s Lok Sabha passed on Thursday the Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2025 which seeks to improve the functioning of Waqf properties, address complexities, ensure transparency and introduce technology-driven management.
The Lok Sabha passed the Bill with 288 votes in favor of the Bill, 232 votes against the Bill. The House sat beyond midnight to pass the legislation after a heated debate that began in the afternoon that was extended for around 12 hours.
The opposition INDIA bloc parties had decided to oppose the bill and their members voted accordingly. They also pressed for division on some amendments. An amendment was negatived with 231 members voting in favor and 238 against it.
The Lok Sabha saw a huge drama unfold on multiple questions before the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025, was finally cleared.
Now the Bill faces a test in Rajya Sabha, with an eight-hour debate planned.
The Mussalman Wakf (Repeal) Bill, 2024 was also passed in Lok Sabha.
Tabling the bill on Wednesday, Kiren Rijiju, Minister of Minority Affairs and Parliamentary Affairs, said the legislation has nothing to do with religion, but deals only with properties.
“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.
The revised bill was brought by the government after incorporating recommendations of the Joint Parliamentary Committee which examined the legislation which was introduced in August last year.
his reply to the debate, Rijiju said slammed the opposition parties for terming Waqf Amendment Bill as “unconstitutional,” Minority Affairs Minister Rijiju said the law relating to Waqf property has been in existence for decades and has not been struck down by courts and such words should not be used lightly.
Rijiju rejected criticism by opposition members that the Bill was "anti-Muslim" and said some members were just not prepared to accept the truth despite Home Minister Amit Shah nicely elucidating on all issues.
Earlier, in his speech, Home Minister Amit Shah said that the opposition is trying to build its vote bank by scaring the minority community.
He said the government does not want to interfere in the religious activities of Muslim brothers and the trusts associated with their donations.
