NEW DELHI: The Union government is set to introduce the Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2024 during the winter session of Parliament. Chairman of the Joint Committee of Parliament scrutinizing the Bill Jagdambika Pal said on Thursday that the panel’s draft report is ready for submission. However, several opposition members opposed the move and demanded an extension of the tenure of the joint committee on the Bill, contending that they needed more time to study the changes to the draft.“Our draft report is ready. We will soon give a date for clause-by-clause discussion on its recommendations,” Pal told reporters after a six-hour meeting of the committee. The Minority Affairs ministry also presented a detailed justification for the amendments proposed by the government in the Waqf Act. The committee has been asked by the Lok Sabha to submit its report on the last day of the first week of the winter session of Parliament.Waqf Bill steamroller may run into
Naidu roadblock demanding pauseIn the meeting, Pal announced that Thursday’s meeting would be the last sitting of the panel and that a draft report would be circulated to the members shortly. The Opposition members, however, resorted to sloganeering and some of them met Speaker Om Birla and sought his intervention.An MP told this newspaper that all Opposition MPs will meet Birla on November 25, the first day of the winter session, to push for their demand for an extension of the deadline.Pal hoped for a consensus as the committee has engaged in an exhaustive deliberation with a wide range of stakeholders.Sources, however, said the government may tread cautiously on the Bill as the key NDA allies — TDP and JD (U) — appear under pressure from the Muslim leaders in Andhra Pradesh and Bihar.Sources also said that the committee may get a short extension as it needs to complete the formalities of preparing its voluminous report before it is discussed in the meeting.Dismissing the charges, Pal said the Speaker had constituted the committee, and whatever he decides would be acceptable to all.The Minority Affairs Ministry has deposed before the committee for nearly 29 hours through five days, and nearly 1,000 slides covering the members’ views and the ministry’s replies and stand have been prepared, Pal said, adding that the panel has held 25 sittings and visited many states.Minorities panel clears plan for data analysis wingA meeting of the National Commission for Minorities (NCM) on Thursday approved the proposal for establishing a dedicated Research and Data Analysis Division and National Clearing House for Data Collection and Management in the commission. The proposal was based on the mandate of the NCM Act 1992 and would supersede the provisions of the NCM (Procedures and Processes) Regulation: 1997 related to evaluation, monitoring and procedure for conducting studies, and SOP for engaging institutes, organisations or agencies for conducting “studies” on various subjects relating to minorities. The commission also discussed recent minority related court judgments, RBI report on credit facilities and employment status amongst minorities.
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