New Delhi: The Lok Sabha passed the Waqf Amendment Bill 2025 on Thursday following an intense debate, with the INDIA bloc strongly opposing the legislation and the BJP and its allies backing it, citing the need for transparency and efficiency in Waqf board operations.

The bill was approved after amendments proposed by opposition members were rejected. The House extended its session beyond midnight to facilitate the passage.

Voting and opposition pushback
After Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju concluded his response to the debate, Speaker Om Birla announced that the House would take up the bill for voting. The final count showed 288 votes in favour and 232 against.

INDIA bloc members had decided to oppose the bill and also sought division on certain amendments. One amendment was defeated with 231 votes in favour and 238 against.

The revised bill was introduced after incorporating recommendations from the Joint Parliamentary Committee, which reviewed the legislation initially tabled in August last year.

Government's defence of the bill
Responding to opposition concerns, Rijiju dismissed claims that the bill was unconstitutional. He argued that laws related to Waqf property had existed for decades without judicial intervention and warned against using the term "unconstitutional" lightly.

The Mussalman Wakf (Repeal) Bill, 2024, was also passed during the session, which lasted nearly 12 hours.

Rijiju claimed that the bill would benefit the Muslim community, particularly the underprivileged. "Crores of poor Muslims will thank PM Modi on the bill being passed," he said.

He also criticised opposition leaders for alleging that the bill was anti-Muslim, stating that Home Minister Amit Shah had provided a detailed explanation addressing concerns.

Amit Shah counters opposition claims
Home Minister Amit Shah accused the opposition of fear-mongering to build its vote bank. He assured that the government had no intention of interfering in Muslim religious activities or trusts.

"No non-Islamic member will be involved in the Waqf Board's religious donation activities. However, a person of any faith can serve as the Charity Commissioner to ensure compliance with charity laws," Shah clarified.

He also criticised the 2013 amendments to the Waqf Act, which he claimed led to the allocation of 123 VVIP properties in Delhi’s Lutyens zone to Waqf.

Shah highlighted the extensive consultations conducted by the Joint Parliamentary Committee, including 38 meetings, 113 hours of discussions, and feedback from 284 stakeholders and one crore online submissions.

Key provisions and BJP’s stance
BJP MP Jagdambika Pal, who chaired the JPC, described the bill as one of the most significant legislations of the Modi government's third term.

The bill seeks to amend the Waqf Act of 1995 to improve administration and management of Waqf properties. It aims to address previous shortcomings by enhancing the registration process and integrating technology for better record-keeping.

With PTI inputs