Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], January 21 : The Joint Parliamentary Committee on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill has been conducting its last meeting of field visits on Tuesday in Uttar Pradesh's Lucknow.
All the stakeholders including members of Shia and Sunni Waqf Boards and the Minority Commission participated in the meeting.
Before the meeting, speaking to ANI, a member of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board said that they would put their points in front of the committee and hoped that action would be taken accordingly.
Maulana Khalid Rasheed Firangi Mahali said, " Today the joint parliamentary committee on Waqf (Amendment) has come to Lucknow. We, members of various Muslim organisations have come here, we will put forward our points and we are confident that our issues will be heard and action will be taken accordingly only."
Earlier today, before the convention of the meeting, Rajya Sabha MP and JPC member Brij Lal said that this meeting is the last phase of the field visits of the committee, adding that the JPC will take suggestions from all the stakeholders and then the JPC chairman Jagdambika Pal will submit the report to the Parliament.
Brij Lal said, "We have held meetings at a lot of places till now... Many states in the country have been covered. This is the last phase of the field visits. All the stakeholders will participate including the Shia and Sunni Waqf boards and the Minority Commission. We will take their suggestions in this Act... Then JPC Chairman Jagdambika Pal will submit his report to the Parliament..."
Earlier, Waqf Amendment Bill JPC Chairman and BJP MP Jagdambika Pal expressed confidence in reaching a consensus on the committee's report, confirming that the report will be presented at the upcoming budget session.
"We are going to present the report in the budget session," Pal told ANI.
He further said that the JPC has been meeting continuously for the last 6 months, holding meetings across the country.
"The JPC has been meeting continuously for the last 6 months, holding meetings across the country. I am confident that we will all come to a consensus and present our report. Last time we had to present it in the winter session but it was extended, so we are going to present this report in the budget session," the BJP MP added.
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. The JPC is conducting extensive consultations with government officials, legal experts, Waqf Board members, and community representatives from various states and Union Territories to ensure a comprehensive overhaul of the legislation.