JPC on Waqf Bill to Conduct Meetings in Five States Starting September 26

The Joint Parliamentary Committee on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, has planned informal sittings in five states between September 26 and October 1. During this time, it will consult with various stakeholders to hone the proposed amendments to the Waqf Act.
This Act stipulates the rules for the administration of registered Waqf properties in the country.

The initial consultation is scheduled on September 26 in Mumbai, and this is going to be attended by the Maharashtra Government, Ministry of Minority Affairs, and the Maharashtra Waqf Board.

These preliminary discussions will then align all the subsequent consultations toward resolving the key issues like transparency, efficiency, and empowerment that would be required in the Waqf property management.

The JPC will thereafter deliberate on September 27 at Ahmedabad, Gujarat. Members of the Gujarat Government, the Gujarat Waqf Board, and other relevant stakeholders are likely to be present.

The Bar Council, Lawyers Associations, and Mutawalli Associations will further present opinions from legal professionals on how the new reforms would affect the state's property management of the Waqf properties.

On 28th September, the JPC would move to Hyderabad, and in the course of these deliberations at Hyderabad, the Waqf Boards of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana would be represented with the State Minority Commissions of the two states. In addition, the Chhattisgarh Waqf Board would also attend the discussions.

The JPC will subsequently travel to Chennai, Tamil Nadu for consultations on September 30 and to Bengaluru, Karnataka for discussions on October 1.

During these interactions, it is going to deliberate on important provisions of the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, such as digitization of records, a more rigorous process of audit, more stringent legal measures regarding cases of encroachment, and the decentralization of the management of Waqf.

The nationwide consultations, which the JPC held with government officials, legal experts, Waqf Board members, and community representatives from the five states and the Union Territories, are also a part of the reforms scheme to present a more comprehensive approach toward reforming the Waqf Act.