Key Points
Legislation passed in both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha after marathon debates
Bill aims to amend 1995 Waqf laws
BJP secures crucial support with BJD's 'conscience vote'
Congress plans Supreme Court challenge
The legislation was earlier cleared by the Lok Sabha after nearly 12 hours debate, with 288 votes in favour and 232 against.
With this, both the Houses have cleared the decks for amendments in the Waqf Bill of 1995 and repealing the Mussalman Wakf Act of 1923.
The next course of action is the Presidential assent for the bill, following which it will turn into a law.
The Bill will be sent to President Droupadi Murmu soon and her approval will pave the way for amending the 1995 laws, governing Waqf properties.
According to a leading portal, the government is expecting a smaller window for the approval, unlike the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).
The NDA government, which is projecting the Waqf Amendment Bill as one of key milestone decision in first year of Modi 3.0 is expected to notify it for implementation, soon after getting President’s nod.
Interestingly, one of the major highlights of Rajya Sabha voting last night, was Biju Janata Dal (BJD)’s stand on the contentious bill.
As per the numbers of NDA and INDIA bloc, the bill was expected to sail through in Rajya Sabha but with a lower margin as compared to Lok Sabha. NDA was expected to get support of 123 MPs but ended up securing 128 votes in favour while INDIA bloc ended at 95 (as against expected figure of 98).
Hours before the voting, Naveen Patknaik-led BJD opened the gates for "conscience vote', telling its 7 MPs that they would not be bound by a whip and could vote for whichever side they wanted.
Some BJD MPs cross-voted in favour of NDA, there bettering its tally than earlier expected. A total of 119 votes was needed for the bill to get through but BJP’s efficient floor management helped it secure 128 votes.
Meanwhile, Congress has stated that it will challenge the constitutionality of the Waqf legislation in the Supreme Court.
“The INC will very soon be challenging in the Supreme Court the constitutionality of the Wakf (Amendment) Bill, 2024,” he wrote in a post on X.
Comments:
Rahul K.
2 hours ago
Finally some progress on Waqf reforms! The 1995 law definitely needed updating to reflect current realities. Hope this brings more transparency in management of Waqf properties. 👍
Sunita M.
1 hour ago
Interesting to see BJD's "conscience vote" approach. Shows how complex this issue is when even allies aren't fully aligned. Wonder if more parties will adopt this in future debates?
Amit J.
45 mins ago
14 hours of debate shows how seriously Parliament is taking this. Though I wish the discussion was more about substance than political point-scoring. The cross-voting drama overshadowed the actual content of the bill.
Priya T.
30 mins ago
While I support reforms, rushing bills through marathon sessions isn't ideal. Important legislation deserves proper scrutiny. Hope the Supreme Court review brings clarity on constitutional aspects.
Nikhil S.
15 mins ago
The voting margins tell an interesting story - stronger support in Lok Sabha than Rajya Sabha. Shows how different the dynamics are in the two houses. Politics aside, hope this benefits the community it's meant to serve.
Meena D.
Just now
Curious to see how this compares with the CAA timeline. The article mentions a "smaller window" for approval - does that mean we'll see implementation before the next session? 🤔
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