New Delhi: The Lok Sabha passed the Waqf Amendment Bill 2025 on Thursday after an extended and intense debate, during which members of the INDIA bloc strongly opposed the legislation, while the BJP and its allies backed it, claiming it would improve transparency and boost the efficiency of Waqf boards. The bill was passed following the rejection of several amendments proposed by the opposition. The House continued its session past midnight to finalise the legislation.
After Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju responded to the debate, Speaker Om Birla announced the consideration of the Waqf Amendment Bill, 2025, and called for the clearing of the lobbies before a division vote. The final result saw 288 members in favor and 232 against. The opposition parties, part of the INDIA bloc, had pledged to oppose the bill, and their members voted accordingly, requesting a division on certain amendments. One amendment was defeated with 231 votes in favor and 238 votes against.
The government introduced a revised version of the bill after incorporating suggestions from the Joint Parliamentary Committee, which had reviewed the legislation initially presented in August of the previous year.
During his response to the debate, Kiren Rijiju criticised opposition leaders for labelling the Waqf Amendment Bill as “unconstitutional.” He argued that the law governing Waqf properties had been in place for decades and had never been struck down by courts, asserting that such accusations should not be made lightly.
The bill’s passage also followed the approval of the Mussalman Wakf (Repeal) Bill, 2024, in the Lok Sabha. The discussion on the Waqf Amendment Bill lasted nearly 12 hours.
Rijiju emphasised that once the bill becomes law, the impoverished Muslim community would express gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He firmly rejected claims that the bill was “anti-Muslim,” noting that some members simply refused to accept the truth despite Home Minister Amit Shah’s clear explanation of the issues. “If this bill were unconstitutional, the courts would have struck it down by now,” Rijiju stated.
Home Minister Amit Shah also responded to opposition criticism, accusing them of attempting to manipulate the minority community for political gain. He assured that the government had no intention of interfering in the religious activities or donations associated with Muslim trusts. “No non-Muslim will be involved in religious activities related to the Waqf Board,” Shah clarified, emphasising that non-Muslims could serve in administrative roles, such as Charity Commissioner, overseeing the board’s operation in line with charity laws.
Shah further criticised the 2013 amendment to the Waqf law, which he claimed had been made for appeasement and resulted in the allocation of valuable properties in Delhi’s Lutyens Zone to the Waqf. He noted that this current amendment was needed to correct these missteps.
The Home Minister also highlighted the extensive consultations leading up to the bill’s drafting. He revealed that 38 meetings of the Joint Parliamentary Committee were held, involving 284 stakeholders and receiving nearly one crore online suggestions, ensuring that the law was well-rounded and could not be easily dismissed.
BJP MP Jagdambika Pal, who chaired the Joint Parliamentary Committee, referred to the bill as one of the most important pieces of legislation during the third term of the Modi government.
The Waqf Amendment Bill seeks to amend the Waqf Act of 1995 to enhance the administration and management of Waqf properties in India. It aims to address the deficiencies of the previous law by improving the registration process, incorporating more technological tools to manage Waqf records, and making the Waqf boards more efficient.
