Minister Kiren Rijiju Introduces New Bills to Update Waqf Laws in India
On August 8, Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju introduced two important bills in the Lok Sabha. The first bill, called the Mussalman Wakf (Repeal) Bill, 2024, aims to repeal the old Mussalman Wakf Act of 1923. This old law is considered outdated and not suitable for managing waqf properties in modern India.
The second bill, the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, seeks to make changes to the Waqf Act of 1995. This bill will be reviewed by a Joint Parliamentary Committee. The new amendments aim to clearly define what ‘waqf’ means, ensure that women do not lose their inheritance rights, and broaden the membership of the Central Waqf Council and State Waqf Boards to include Muslim women and non-Muslims.
Additionally, the government has decided to withdraw the Waqf Properties (Eviction of Unauthorised Occupants) Bill, 2014, which was introduced in the Rajya Sabha in 2014.
Doubts Revealed
Kiren Rijiju -: Kiren Rijiju is a politician in India who is currently the Minority Affairs Minister. He works on issues related to minority communities in India.
Bills -: Bills are proposals for new laws or changes to existing laws. They need to be discussed and approved by the government before becoming laws.
Waqf -: Waqf is a type of charitable trust in Islam where property or money is donated for religious or charitable purposes.
Lok Sabha -: Lok Sabha is the lower house of India’s Parliament where elected representatives discuss and make laws.
Mussalman Wakf Act, 1923 -: The Mussalman Wakf Act, 1923, is an old law in India that deals with the management of waqf properties.
Repealed -: Repealed means to officially cancel or end a law so that it is no longer in effect.
Waqf Act, 1995 -: The Waqf Act, 1995, is a law in India that provides guidelines for the management and supervision of waqf properties.
Inheritance rights -: Inheritance rights are the legal rights to receive property or money from someone who has passed away.
Central Waqf Council -: The Central Waqf Council is a body in India that oversees the management of waqf properties across the country.
State Waqf Boards -: State Waqf Boards are organizations in each state of India that manage waqf properties within that state.
