Speaking to the media on Wednesday (2nd April), Advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain welcomed the Waqf Amendment Bill, 2024, tabled in the Parliament today calling it an important step in the right direction. Jain, however, pointed out that there is still scope for improvement in the Bill.
The Advocate offered prayers at a temple in Gorakshnath Math in Varanasi before the tabling of the Bill in the Parliament. He highlighted the positive changes that have been introduced in the amendment Bill. “Several provisions have been introduced to put a check on the arbitrary powers of the Waqf. There has been a change in the definition of Waqf, and the concept of ‘Waqf by the user’ has also been abolished; several checks have been introduced in the survey exercise and registration by Waqf. The composition of the Waqf Tribunal has been changed,” he said.
VIDEO | As Waqf Bill is to be tabled in Lok Sabha today, Advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain (@Vishnu_Jain1) says, "The Waqf Amendment Bill is being presented today, there are many provisions which has finished the unlimited rights of Waqf. There has been a change in the definition of… pic.twitter.com/b6VUrXSfdl
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) April 2, 2025
“Sections 40, 107, and 108 have been repealed. However, some things have been left unaddressed, which require a proper discussion. But this is a good initiative. I feel there is still scope for improvement, for example, there is no provision to reclaim the properties which have been declared erroneously as Waqf properties. There are still some draconian provisions like Sections 28, 29, and ‘person aggrieved’ in Section 6, which have not been removed. We presented our opinion in this regard in front of the JPC,” he pointed out.
The Waqf Amendment Bill, 2024, was tabled in the Parliament today by the Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju. Explaining the ambit of amendments proposed in the Bill, Rijiju assured the Lower House that the Bill does not interfere with any religious system, any religious institution, or any religious practice in any way.
