{"id":45649,"date":"2025-04-03T01:07:58","date_gmt":"2025-04-02T19:37:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/?p=45649"},"modified":"2025-05-07T19:44:29","modified_gmt":"2025-05-07T14:14:29","slug":"proposed-waqf-amendment-bill-2025","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/proposed-waqf-amendment-bill-2025\/","title":{"rendered":"Proposed Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2025: Key Changes and Growing Controversy"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2>What\u2019s in Today\u2019s Article?<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2025 Latest News<\/li>\n<li>Introduction<\/li>\n<li>Key Provisions of the Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2025<\/li>\n<li>Controversies and Criticisms<\/li>\n<li>Conclusion<\/li>\n<li>Waqf Amendment Bill 2025 FAQs<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2025 Latest News<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>After a marathon debate of 12 hours, the Lok Sabha has passed the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Introduction<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>The <strong>Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2025<\/strong>, tabled in the Lok Sabha by Union Minister Kiren Rijiju, has reignited debate over the regulation of Waqf properties in India.\u00a0<\/li>\n<li>The Bill seeks to amend the <strong>Waqf Act, 1995<\/strong>, with sweeping changes aimed at increasing transparency, addressing title disputes, and incorporating judicial oversight.\u00a0<\/li>\n<li>However, the proposed provisions have drawn strong criticism from opposition parties and Muslim bodies who claim it threatens the community&#8217;s constitutional autonomy in managing religious endowments.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Key Provisions of the Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2025<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Judicial Oversight on Waqf Tribunal Orders<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li>The amended Bill introduces a provision allowing High Court appeals against Waqf Tribunal orders.\u00a0<\/li>\n<li>This rectifies a long-standing gap in judicial review under the 1995 Act, which <strong>previously made Tribunal decisions final and unchallengeable<\/strong>.\u00a0<\/li>\n<li>The new mechanism strengthens legal accountability and provides a higher forum for redressal.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>Clarification on \u2018Waqf by User\u2019<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li>The controversial proposal to eliminate the Islamic legal concept of \u201cwaqf by user\u201d has been revised.\u00a0<\/li>\n<li>The updated Bill now retains the status of such properties, like mosques and graveyards, if they were registered before the new law\u2019s enactment, unless contested.\u00a0<\/li>\n<li>However, <strong>future recognition of waqf status requires documentary proof or declaration from a practicing Muslim of at least five years<\/strong>, raising concerns over the exclusion of recent converts or informal practices.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>Empowering Government Officials in Property Disputes<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li>One of the most significant changes is the shift in adjudication power.\u00a0<\/li>\n<li>The Bill empowers senior government officers (above District Collector rank) to settle disputes over whether a property is waqf or government land, <strong>replacing the Waqf Tribunal\u2019s exclusive authority under the 1995 Act<\/strong>.\u00a0<\/li>\n<li>Until the officer submits a report, disputed properties will be treated as government property.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>Centralised Digital Registration of Waqf Properties<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li>The Bill <strong>mandates the creation of a digital portal for registering and updating waqf properties<\/strong>.\u00a0<\/li>\n<li>All information must be uploaded within six months of the law\u2019s commencement, streamlining data management and curbing misappropriation.\u00a0<\/li>\n<li>The Tribunal, however, may allow an extension in justified cases.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>Application of Limitation Act to Waqf Properties<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li>Another critical change is the <strong>removal of Section 107 of the Waqf Act, which had excluded waqf properties from the Limitation Act, 1963<\/strong>.\u00a0<\/li>\n<li>With this deletion, the standard 12-year limitation for reclaiming encroached property will now apply to waqf land.\u00a0<\/li>\n<li>This opens the possibility for encroachers to claim ownership via adverse possession.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>Altered Composition of Waqf Boards and Tribunals<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li>The amended Bill allows the <strong>inclusion of non-Muslim members, including Chief Executive Officers, in State Waqf Boards and the Central Waqf Council<\/strong>.\u00a0<\/li>\n<li>Additionally, <strong>Waqf Tribunals will now have three members instead of two<\/strong>, a district judge, a joint secretary-level state officer, and an expert in Muslim law.\u00a0<\/li>\n<li>This restructuring is intended to promote expertise and inclusivity without undermining community representation.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Controversies and Criticisms<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Allegations of Government Overreach<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li>Opposition argues that empowering government officials to decide the status of waqf properties significantly curtails community autonomy.\u00a0<\/li>\n<li>The new framework grants the government de facto control over disputed land, undermining the Waqf Board\u2019s authority and traditional Islamic jurisprudence.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>Marginalisation of Muslim Community in Governance<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li>While the government asserts that the inclusion of non-Muslims in Waqf bodies fosters transparency, opposition parties and Muslim organisations see this as a violation of their constitutionally guaranteed right to manage religious affairs.\u00a0<\/li>\n<li>The representation is perceived as tokenistic and politically motivated.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>Retrospective Implementation Concerns<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li>Though the revised Bill protects already registered \u201cwaqf by user\u201d properties, it introduces ambiguity for those not formally documented.\u00a0<\/li>\n<li>This may endanger numerous religious and charitable assets informally managed by local communities for decades.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>Politicisation and Suppression of Dissent<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li>Opposition leaders, including AIMIM\u2019s Asaduddin Owaisi, have accused the government of bulldozing the Bill through parliamentary processes.\u00a0<\/li>\n<li>Dissent notes submitted by opposition MPs were reportedly removed from the Joint Committee&#8217;s final report, raising concerns about legislative transparency.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>Legal and Social Ramifications<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li>The combined impact of repealing Section 107 and centralising authority may lead to increased litigation, displacement, and unrest within the community.\u00a0<\/li>\n<li>Many view these changes as targeting Muslim institutions at a time when communal sensitivities are high.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Conclusion<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>The Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2025 introduces pivotal changes to the management and regulation of waqf properties in India.\u00a0<\/li>\n<li>While the government emphasizes transparency, accountability, and judicial oversight, opposition sees the Bill as an encroachment on religious freedoms and community rights.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Waqf Amendment Bill 2025 FAQs<\/h2>\n<p><strong>Q1.<\/strong> What is the Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2025 about?<\/p>\n<p><strong>Ans. <\/strong>It proposes changes to the 1995 Waqf Act to improve governance, transparency, and dispute resolution regarding waqf properties.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Q2.<\/strong> What changes does the Bill make to property dispute resolution?<\/p>\n<p><strong>Ans. <\/strong>It authorizes senior government officers to adjudicate waqf property disputes, replacing the role of Waqf Tribunals.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Q3. <\/strong>How does the Bill affect judicial review?<\/p>\n<p><strong>Ans. <\/strong>It introduces a provision allowing High Court appeals against Waqf Tribunal orders within 90 days.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Q4. <\/strong>What is the controversy over \u201cwaqf by user\u201d?<\/p>\n<p><strong>Ans. <\/strong>The Bill initially sought to remove this doctrine but now allows registered waqf-by-use properties to retain their status unless contested.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Q5.<\/strong> Why is the deletion of Section 107 significant?<\/p>\n<p><strong>Ans. <\/strong>It allows encroachers to claim ownership of waqf property after 12 years under the Limitation Act, which was earlier inapplicable.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Source: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehindu.com\/news\/national\/what-are-the-key-changes-proposed-in-the-new-waqf-bill-explained\/article69402993.ece\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">TH<\/a> | <a href=\"https:\/\/indianexpress.com\/article\/india\/waqf-bill-clears-lok-sabha-storm-govt-cites-transparency-opposition-says-bid-to-divide-on-faith-9921199\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">IE<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2024 proposes major changes to the governance of Waqf properties in India, sparking debates on autonomy, transparency, and government overreach.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":45650,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-45649","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-upsc-mains-current-affairs","8":"no-featured-image-padding"},"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/45649","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=45649"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/45649\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/45650"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=45649"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=45649"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=45649"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}