Waqf Bill Awaits President’s Nod After Passage in Parliament: Details Here
The Waqf (Amendment) Bill has been passed by the Rajya Sabha in the early hours of Friday, following a marathon debate that saw heated exchanges between the treasury and opposition benches.
New Delhi: The Waqf (Amendment) Bill has been passed by the Rajya Sabha in the early hours of Friday, following a marathon debate that saw heated exchanges between the treasury and opposition benches.
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The Upper House debated the bill for nearly 14 hours before approving it with 128 votes in favor and 95 against.
Passage in Lok Sabha
The legislation was previously cleared by the Lok Sabha after nearly 12 hours of debate, with 288 votes in favor and 232 votes against.
With this, both Houses of Parliament have now paved the way for amendments to the Waqf Bill of 1995, as well as the repeal of the Mussalman Wakf Act of 1923.
Next Step: Presidential Assent
The next step in the process is for the bill to receive Presidential assent. Once approved by President Droupadi Murmu, it will become law and allow amendments to the 1995 laws governing Waqf properties.
A leading portal reports that the government expects a shorter approval window for the bill, unlike the delayed process seen with the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).
NDA’s Key Milestone
The NDA government has framed the Waqf Amendment Bill as a key milestone in the first year of Modi 3.0. The bill is expected to be notified for implementation soon after receiving the President’s approval.
Also Read: Congress to Challenge Constitutionality of Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024 in Supreme Court
BJD’s Role in the Rajya Sabha Vote
An interesting development during the Rajya Sabha voting was the Biju Janata Dal (BJD)’s position on the contentious bill. Although the NDA and INDIA bloc’s numbers made it likely that the bill would pass in Rajya Sabha, the margin was expected to be lower than in the Lok Sabha. NDA was expected to secure 123 votes but ended up with 128, while the INDIA bloc only mustered 95 votes, falling short of the expected 98.
Ahead of the vote, Naveen Patnaik-led BJD allowed its 7 MPs a “conscience vote,” informing them that they were not bound by a party whip and could vote freely. This led to some BJD MPs crossvoting in favor of the NDA, which helped the ruling party exceed expectations. The BJP’s efficient floor management secured 128 votes for the bill, surpassing the 119 required to pass it.
Congress to Challenge Constitutionality in Supreme Court
Meanwhile, the Congress party has announced that it will challenge the constitutionality of the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024 in the Supreme Court. AICC General Secretary Jairam Ramesh posted on X, stating, “The INC will very soon be challenging in the Supreme Court the constitutionality of the Wakf (Amendment) Bill, 2024.”
