New Delhi, August 10, 2024: The BJP-led government will introduce the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024 in the Lok Sabha on Thursday. The bill, presented by Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju, aims to reform the Waqf Act of 1995 by enhancing the management of waqf properties, improving the registration process, and ensuring better protection against unauthorized encroachments.
Key changes include renaming the Act to the Unified Waqf Management, Empowerment, Efficiency and Development Act, 1995, and redefining "waqf" to ensure fair inheritance rights for women. The bill also proposes expanding the Central Waqf Council and State Waqf Boards to include broader representation, including Muslim women and non-Muslims.
Additionally, the government will repeal the Mussalman Wakf Act, 1923, and withdraw the Waqf Properties (Eviction of Unauthorised Occupants) Bill, 2014. These moves mark significant steps toward modernizing waqf management in India.