Union Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Wednesday presented the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025, as suggested by a Joint Parliamentary Committee, in the Lok Sabha for review and approval.
The legislation aims to enhance the management of Waqf properties, implement technology-based oversight, tackle complications, and guarantee transparency.
While presenting the bill, Rijiju stated that the consultation by the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) was the most extensive effort conducted by a parliamentary panel in India’s democratic past.
He stated that more than 97.27 lakh petitions and memorandums were submitted to the JPC in both physical and online formats, and the JPC had reviewed each before completing its report.
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The minister stated that up to 284 delegations provided their perspectives on the bill, in addition to the Waqf boards from 25 states and Union Territories.
He stated that legal experts, charitable organizations, scholars, and religious figures, among others, have also provided their insights.
Rijiju stated that certain individuals were exploiting Section 40 of the existing Waqf Act for their personal interests. “That is the reason Waqf property grew by lakhs,” he mentioned.
According to Section 40 of the Waqf Act, the Waqf Board was authorized to determine whether a property was classified as Waqf property. The Waqf Board’s decision was conclusive, unless overturned or altered by the Waqf Tribunal.
He mentioned that the Waqf Amendment Bill would be renamed the UMEED Bill, which stands for Unified Waqf Management Empowerment, Efficiency, and Development Bill.
