Non-Muslims On Boards, Mandatory Waqfnama, Women’s Representation: Waqf Bill Proposes Sweeping Changes; 10 Key Points

From permitting non-Muslims on Waqf boards to guaranteeing representation of Muslim women and the wanted requirement of a written deed (waqfnama) for Waqf constructions, the Waft (Modification) Bill set to be brought by the BJP-led Relevant authorities on Thursday, proposes sweeping changes the 1995 Act.

The (amendment) bill, which converted into circulated amongst Lok Sabha members on Tuesday evening time upfront of its introduction, a prolonged way-reaches changes interior the Waqf Act, 1995, one in every of which involves renaming it as Unified Waqf Management, Empowerment, Efficiency and Enchancment Act, 1995.

Terrific here are relatively a couple of the large thing proposals listed interior the bill:

1. The Waqf (Modification) Bill proposes to seeks to omit Part forty of the recent law in relation to the powers of the board to admire if a property is Waqf property.
2. The bill gives for a broad-based composition of the Relevant Waqf Council and the Country Waqf Boards and ensures the representation of Muslim women and non-Muslims in such bodies.
3. The bill additionally proposes the establishment of a separate Board of Auqaf for the Boharas and Aghakhanis.
4. The draft law gives for the representation of Shias, Sunnis, Bohras, Agakhanis and diverse backward education amongst Muslim communities.
5. The bill additionally movements to naturally outline “‘Waqf’ as Waqf by somebody practising Islam for not cut down than 5 years and having possession of such property”.
6. One of its ambitions is streamlining the system of registration of Waqfs by a giant portal and database.
7. A detailed system is connected for mutation as per profits rules with due note to all concerned prior recording any property as a Waqf property.
8. The amendment bill proposes to enable for the appointment of not cut down than two non-Muslim members to the waqf boards on the kingdom level, reminiscent of the provision for a non-Muslim Chief Executive Officer.
9. A District Collector shall be the arbiter and has the electrical vigour to admire regardless of no matter if a property is waqf property or authorities land.
10. The bill mandates the requirement of a legit waqfnama, quite than the Islamic Legislations which permits anyone to furnish a property as waqf by an oral contract. The bill proposes to remove this prepare and movements to make the waqfnama a wanted requirement for an area to be deemed waqf property.

The Wakf Act, 1995, converted into brought to deal with ‘Auqaf’ (assets donated and notified as Waqf) by a ‘wakif’ (the adult that dedicates a property for any intent acknowledged by Muslim law as religious or charitable).

(With PTI inputs)