GUWAHATI: President Draupadi Murmu gave her assent to the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025 on Saturday, April 5, following its passage in both Houses of Parliament after marathon debates.
ALSO READ: Samay Raina in Guwahati, Questioned by Police in ‘India’s Got Latent’ Case
“The following Act of Parliament received the assent of the President on April 5, 2025, and is hereby published for general information: The Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025,” stated a government notification.
The Rajya Sabha passed the legislation in the early hours of Friday with 128 votes in favour and 95 against, wrapping up after over 14 hours of heated discussion. The Lok Sabha had cleared the Bill earlier in the week after a 13-hour session.
The new law seeks to reform the management of waqf properties, aiming to make the system more transparent and inclusive. It introduces measures to protect heritage sites, improve welfare initiatives, and promote economic support for marginalised groups, especially Muslim widows and divorcees. It also mandates representation from various Muslim sects in waqf boards.
Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju, who introduced the Bill, maintained that it would benefit millions of underprivileged Muslims. He stressed that the legislation would not interfere with waqf properties and said it was shaped through broad stakeholder consultation and guidance from the Joint Parliamentary Committee. Rijiju added that the Central Waqf Council would have 22 members, with a maximum of four non-Muslims, to maintain a balance between secularism and representation.
However, opposition parties strongly opposed the Bill. Congress MP Dr Syed Naseer Hussain called it misleading and accused the government of using it to polarise communities. DMK leader Tiruchi Siva described it as anti-secular and unconstitutional, while TMC’s Mohammad Nadimul Haque argued it violated fundamental rights. AAP’s Sanjay Singh demanded the Bill be withdrawn.
In response, Union Home Minister Amit Shah accused the opposition of spreading misinformation. BJP president JP Nadda defended the legislation, saying it aligns with UMEED — Unified Waqf Management Empowerment, Efficiency and Development — aimed at modernising the management of waqf properties.
