Recently Indian Parliament passed the most controversial WAQF Amendment Bill.
It was difficult for BJP to pass bill from Lok Sabha but the after the late night debate the Bill was passed from Lok Sabha with 288 votes in Favor and 232 votes against the bill. While in Rajya Sabha NDA has the majority so it was passed easily with 128 votes in Favor and 95 votes against the bill.
Let’s see how this bill will affect common citizens like you and me. The changes in the bill are balanced changes but they are still tilted towards minority Muslim cast. While Hindu’s being majority in India they are treated like garbage.
Leave that aside little is better than nothing. In anyway it will help common citizens Muslims as well as Hindus. Lets see the changes first and their implications with examples.
All the changes are mentioned in the latest PIB release; download PIB of WAQF Amendment Bill 2025 by clicking here.
WAQF – All major Changes
There are many changes in WAQF and the laws of WAQF, how it was operating and the members, judicial reforms. But we will discuss the main changes which are impacting common people a lot
(1) Renaming of the WAQF Act 1995
The new name of WAQF Act 1995 is Unified Waqf Management, Empowerment, Efficiency, and Development Act, 1995
As you can see previously WAQF Board was uncontrollable by anyone, it was not under even Judiciary or Supreme Court. It was like they were running another government inside India.
But now no more of that kind of Nonsense. WAQF will be Managed by Government of India. It will be used to empower the India and people of India.
(2) WAQF by User – End of Illegal Land grabbing
- Previously WAQF Board was claiming unauthorized properties of any private owner but now no more. This was termed as WAQF by User.
- Only a person practicing Islam for at least five years and owning the property can declare a his property as WAQF.
- So, now WAQF can not claim any random property as the property of WAQF.
(3) Survey of Waqf Properties
- The Survey Commissioner is replaced by the Collector, who will conduct surveys of waqf properties according to state revenue laws.
- Pending surveys will be transferred to the Collector.
- The roles and responsibilities previously held by the Survey Commissioner will now be managed by the Collector to streamline the process
(4) Centralized Portal for Listing All WAQF Properties
- The process for publishing the list of WAQF properties is detailed including uploading the notified list on a portal and database within fifteen days of publication in the official gazette.
- A public notice of ninety days is required before deciding on the mutation of land records related to waqf properties
(5) Management and Administration of WAQF
- There will be full-time Chief Executive Officer of the Board appointed by the State Government, not below the rank of Joint Secretary
- WAQF Boards is expanded & it will include non-Muslim members
- The Board is required to submit details of steps taken for improving the management and income of WAQF properties to the State Government within six months
(6) Audit of WAQF Accounts
- All WAQF properties with income above 1 Lac Rupees, the audit has to be conducted by auditors appointed from a panel prepared by the State Government.
- Central Government may, by order, direct the audit of any waqf at any time by an auditor appointed by the CAG of India or by any officer designated by the Central Government.
(7) Dispute Resolution by Court NOT by WAQF Tribunal
- Finally now victim of WAQF land grabbing can go to High Court.
- Previously, victim has to go to the WAQF Tribunal only and that Tribunal was managed by WAQF board so either way victim was never getting any justice.
(8) Power of Central Government to Make Rules
- A new section 108B is inserted, empowering the Central Government to make rules to carry out the provisions of the Act
- That includes matters related to waqf asset management system, registration, accounts, audit, and maintenance of widows, divorced women, and orphans
Conclusion
By the nature of justice the whole WAQF must be removed because Hindus always been discriminated. But little is better than nothing.
I hope there won’t be any corruption at higher level while managing these properties. Hoping that all the victims of this Black Act called WAQF will get Justice soon.
Because as always “Late justice is equal to no justice at all”
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