Rajya Sabha has passed the Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2025

New Delhi: The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025, was passed by Parliament, with the Rajya Sabha giving its approval in the early hours of today. The Upper House passed the Bill, with 128 members voting in favor and 95 voting against it. The Rajya Sabha debated the Bill for around 12 hours. The Lok Sabha has already adopted the Bill.

The Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2025 seeks to streamline the management of Waqf properties while also protecting heritage sites and promoting social welfare. The legislation also seeks to strengthen governance by increasing transparency in property management, improving collaboration between Waqf Boards and municipal governments, and safeguarding stakeholder rights.

The Bill also aims to strengthen the economic and social standing of Muslim women, notably widows and divorcees. The Bill aims to make the Waqf Board more inclusive, with representatives from various Muslim sects to improve Waqf governance and decision-making. The Waqf Amendment creates a secular, transparent, and responsible framework for Waqf administration.

Responding to a discussion on the bill, Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju stated that this legislation will benefit crores of poor Muslims and will not affect a single Muslim. He stated that the Act did not affect with Waqf properties. He stated that the Narendra Modi government follows the idea of Sabka Saath and Sabka Vikas and does not discriminate against any community. He stated many poor and Pasmanda Muslims approached him and requested him to pass the bill as quickly as possible. He stated that the government wishes to integrate Muslims into the mainstream of the country.

Mr. Rijiu stated that Members’ views were heard in the Joint Parliamentary Committee, and their proposals were integrated into the measure. He made it clear that the Central Waqf Council will have 22 members, including ex-officio members, with no more than four non-Muslim members. He also stated that just three of the eleven Waqf Board members would be non-Muslims. He said that the Waqf Board is a statutory organization that should be secular, yet the government still limits the number of non-Muslims on it.

Dr. Syed Naseer Hussain of the Congress stated during the discussion that this measure is misleading and was introduced with the goal of polarising communities. He claimed that the BJP is attempting to divide the community. He claimed that during the BJP rule, the Waqf Council’s budget was not allocated, and salaries were not paid to its employees. Interrupting Dr. Hussain, Union Home Minister Amit Shah claimed that the opposition was attempting to mislead the public.

Sanjay Raut of the Shiv Sena (UBT) alleged that this Bill is not in favour of the nation. Samajwadi Party’s Dr Ram Gopal Yadav claimed that the country is moving towards a totalitarian state instead of a democratic state. 

Leader of the Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge opposed the Bill and demanded the government to withdraw it. He said that there are shortcomings in the bill and it is against the Constitutional norms. 

Dr M Thambidurai of AIADMK said that the government has brought the legislation to change the composition of the Waqf Boards and the Waqf Board Council. 

Sudhanshu Trivedi of the BJP said that the government has brought this bill for the welfare of poor Muslims.

Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Ramdas Athawale said that the bill is not unconstitutional as it integrates every minority community.

Abhishek Manu Singhvi of the Congress, Praful Patel of the NCP, Dr Fauzia Khan of the NCP-SCP, Gulam Ali Nominated, Milind Murli Deora of the Shiv Sena, and Jose K Mani of KC(M) were among those who participated in the debate.

Parliament also gave its approval to the Mussalman Wakf (Repeal) Bill, 2025 which repeals the Mussalman Wakf Act 1923, with the Rajya Sabha approving it. The Lok Sabha has already given its nod to the Bill.

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