Parliament Session / There is a possibility of uproar in Parliament, JPC report will be presented on Wakf Bill

Parliament Session: Major political developments can be seen during the proceedings in Parliament today. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will introduce a new Income Tax Bill in the Lok Sabha, which has already been approved by the Union Cabinet. Apart from this, the report of the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) constituted on the Waqf Amendment Bill will also be presented in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. According to the Lok Sabha agenda, the chairman of the committee Jagdambika Pal will table this report and the record of evidence in the House. This report will also be presented in the Rajya Sabha.

Last day of the first phase of the budget session

Today is the last working day of the first phase of the budget session of Parliament. The report of the JPC constituted on the Waqf Amendment Bill was submitted to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on January 30. This 655-page report was approved by a majority, which included the suggestions of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) members. The opposition parties termed this report unconstitutional and said that it is a conspiracy to weaken the Waqf Boards.

Proposal to amend 44 provisions in the bill

The BJP has described this bill, introduced in the Lok Sabha in August last year, as bringing transparency, accountability and modernity in the management of Waqf properties. The committee accepted all the amendments proposed by the BJP members, while rejecting the amendments of the opposition members. Opposition parties allege that this bill is an attempt to increase government control over Waqf properties and limit the rights of Muslim religious institutions.

The bill was submitted to JPC on August 8, 2024

The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024 was introduced in the Lok Sabha by Union Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju, after which it was sent to the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) on August 8, 2024. The bill aims to amend the Waqf Act, 1995 and address the challenges related to the management and regulation of Waqf properties.

There is a possibility of a heated debate and uproar in Parliament today over these two bills. Opposition parties may accuse the government of weakening the rights of minorities, while the government will describe its policies as increasing transparency and accountability. In such a situation, the eyes of the whole country will be fixed on the debate to be held in Parliament.