The Centre has introduced two bills in Parliament to amend the law governing Waqf Boards. Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju moved the bills in Lok Sabha.

The Centre has introduced the bills amid the uproar over the ‘curtailing’ of powers of the Waqf Board, particularly by Muslim outfits.

The Bills are aimed at kick-starting reforms in the Waqf Board as it makes it compulsory for the body to have two women members on its panel.

Registration of Waqf property through a central portal and protection of the rights of the Bohra community are other features of the proposed amendments.

The Amendment Bill also proposes to strip the Board of its power to declare any property as a ‘Waqf property’.

For this, Section 40 of the existing Waqf Board Act will be repealed.

As per the details of the Waqf Amendment Bill, the Waqf Act of 1923 will be revoked and the structure of the Waqf Act of 1995 will be altered, by introducing 44 amendments, for its better functioning and operation.

The proposed amendments also aim to enhance ‘inclusivity’ in the Waqf Board by ensuring women’s representation on the Central Waqf Council and state boards.

Proposed key changes in the new legislation are renaming of the Waqf Act 1995 as Unified Waqf Management, Empowerment, Efficiency and Development Act, 1995; changes to ensure adequate representation of all Muslim communities including Shia, Sunni, Bohra, Aghakhani and other backward classes; a separate Board of Auqaf has been proposed for Bohras and Aghakhanis Central Waqf Council and the state Waqf Boards will have representation of Muslim women and non-Muslims.

According to reports, Waqf Boards have a land bank of nearly 8.7 lakh properties, with the total area spreading to about 9.4 lakh acres.

(This story was taken from a syndicated feed and was only edited for style by Gujarat Samachar Digital staff)