Kerala Assembly Calls for Withdrawal of 2024 Waqf Amendment Bill
The Kerala Legislative Assembly has unanimously passed a resolution urging the central government to withdraw the 2024 Waqf Amendment Bill. This resolution was presented by V. Abdurahiman, Kerala’s Minister for Minority Welfare, Sports, Waqf, and Pilgrimage. The bill, which aims to amend the Waqf Act of 1995, has been introduced in Parliament and is currently under review by the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC), which is seeking feedback from various stakeholders, including state waqf boards.
Concerns Over Constitutional Violations
The resolution highlights concerns that the bill violates the basic principles of the Constitution. It argues that the proposed changes encroach upon the powers of state governments regarding waqf matters, undermining the federal structure and secular principles of the Constitution. The bill proposes a board composed solely of nominated members, excluding democratically elected representatives, which contradicts democratic provisions.
Importance of Waqf Act
The Waqf Act is designed to protect waqf endowments and institutions, ensuring the rights of religious communities as per Article 26 of the Constitution. Both central and state governments have legislative authority over waqf matters, as outlined in the Concurrent List of the Constitution. The resolution emphasizes that the fundamental rights, freedoms, federalism, secularism, and democracy guaranteed by the Constitution must not be compromised.
The Kerala Assembly’s resolution calls for the withdrawal of the bill, citing its provisions as unacceptable and in violation of constitutional principles.
Doubts Revealed
Kerala Assembly -: The Kerala Assembly is a group of elected representatives who make laws and decisions for the state of Kerala, which is in the southern part of India.
Waqf -: Waqf is a religious endowment in Islam, where property or money is donated for religious or charitable purposes, and it is managed to benefit the community.
Amendment Bill -: An amendment bill is a proposal to change or add to an existing law. In this case, it is about changing the rules related to waqf properties.
Constitutional principles -: Constitutional principles are the basic rules and ideas that guide how a country is governed, like fairness, justice, and respecting the rights of states and people.
Federal values -: Federal values refer to the system where power is shared between the central government and individual states, allowing them to make certain decisions independently.
Secular values -: Secular values mean that the government treats all religions equally and does not favor or promote any particular religion.
Joint Parliamentary Committee -: The Joint Parliamentary Committee is a group of members from both houses of India’s Parliament who come together to review and discuss important bills or issues.
Nominated members -: Nominated members are people chosen or appointed to a position, rather than being elected by the public.
Democratic provisions -: Democratic provisions are rules that ensure people have a say in how they are governed, usually through elections and representation.
Waqf endowments -: Waqf endowments are properties or funds set aside for religious or charitable purposes in Islam, meant to benefit the community.