The JPC was to submit its report by November 29, but that deadline was extended to the final day of Parliament’s Budget Session, which ends on February 13.
New Delhi: A Joint Parliamentary Committee cleared the Waqf Amendment Bill—which aims to introduce 44 amendments to how Muslim charitable properties are administered in the country—on Monday, subjecting the draft presented to the House last August to 14 changes.
Overall, 66 amendments had been suggested to the committee headed by BJP MP Jagadambika Pal —23 by BJP MPs and 44 by members from the opposition side. The proposed amendments, however, came from the opposition and were voted down since committee members are divided strictly along party lines.
The JPC has 16 MPs from the BJP or allied parties and only 10 from the opposition. Sources said voting to confirm acceptance of the 14 changes will occur on January 29, and the final report will be submitted by January 31.
The committee had originally been asked to file the report by November 29, but that deadline was extended to February 13, the final day of the Budget Session.
The committee to study the amendments has had nearly three dozen hearings. Still, many have ended in chaos after opposition MPs accused the Chair of bias towards the ruling party.
The BJP’s Aparajita Sarangi referred to those claims this afternoon when she told news agency ANI that Mr Pal “tried to hear everybody out and gave sufficient time for everybody to move amendments.”
