Wakf Amendment Bill passed in Lok Sabha

The Waqf Amendment Bill was passed in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday, April 2 after 12 hours of discussion. 520 MPs participated in the voting. 288 voted in favor, 232 voted against.

Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju has named it Umeed (Unified Waqf Management Empowerment, Efficiency and Development). This bill will be presented in the Rajya Sabha today on Thursday.

Rijiju started the discussion by introducing the bill on Wednesday afternoon. He said, the purpose of the bill is not interference in any religion, but to manage the properties of Waqf. Referring to the most controversial section 40 of the old law, Rijiju said, under this stringent provision, the Waqf Board could declare any land as Waqf property. Only the tribunal could cancel or amend it, there could be no appeal in the High Court. It has been removed. No land of the Muslim community will be taken away. The opposition is misleading.

After discussion on the bill, Home Minister Amit Shah proposed to impose President’s rule in Manipur, which was passed by the House by voice vote.