WILL THE WAQF LAW USHER IN TRANSPARENCY?

What are the changes sought in the Waqf (Amendment) Act? Why are critics and Opposition parties arguing that the amendments encroach upon the religious autonomy of the Muslim community? Will non-Muslims be part of waqf boards? What is the 'waqf by user' doctrine? The story so far: President Droupadi Murmu on Saturday (April 5, 2025) gave her assent to the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025 (2025 Act), the Union Law Ministry said in a notification. The contentious legislation was passed by Parliament this week after two marathon debates in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha. Originally introduced last year, the law was earlier referred to a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) chaired by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Jagdambika Pal for scrutiny. The report was laid before both Houses on February 13, 2025.

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What does the law aim to do?

In Islamic law, waqf refers to property dedicated in the name of god for religious or charitable purposes. Proceeds from such properties are typically used to maintain mosques, fund educational institutions, or support the poor. Once designated as waqf, the property becomes inalienable it cannot be sold, inherited, or gifted. The Waqf Act, 1995 (1995 Act), and its 2013 amendments under the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government created the legal framework for managing waqf properties and established State Waqf Boards.

What the Waqf Bill means for madrasas and Muslim education | Explained

The new law seeks to amend the 1995 Act, now renamed the Unified Waqf Management, Empowerment, Efficiency and Development Act. It proposes sweeping reforms that significantly expand the government's role in regulating such properties and adjudicating disputes related to them. While the government justifies these amendments as necessary for transparency, critics and Opposition parties argue that they encroach upon the religious autonomy of the Muslim community.

Who is eligible to make a waqf dedication?