GUWAHATI: The Joint Parliamentary Committee’s (JPC) study tour on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, has been postponed in Guwahati, Patna, and Lucknow due to members’ commitments to upcoming state assembly elections.
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Originally scheduled from November 9 to 14, this tour was intended to gather insights from the aforementioned cities, with additional stops planned in Bhubaneswar and Kolkata.
Committee members, citing their involvement in elections across Maharashtra, Jharkhand, and other bye-elections nationwide, requested Chairman Jagdambika Pal to delay the tour to accommodate their electoral responsibilities at the moment.
The JPC has been working on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill since August, holding 25 meetings and consulting 123 stakeholders, including representatives from six states, eight Waqf boards, and four minority commissions.
Additionally, the committee has reviewed input from six central ministries to ensure a comprehensive understanding of the proposed amendments, which aim to reform the management and regulation of Waqf properties across India.
The committee’s report, anticipated for presentation in the Winter Session of Parliament from November 25 to December 20, will reflect these findings and provide recommendations for amendments to the Waqf Act.
