Waqf expense tabled in Rajya Sabha after marathon 12-hour dispute in Lok Sabha–

Union Minister Kiren Rijiju presented the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025, in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday.

Earlier, the Lok Sabha passed the Bill late in the evening after a 12-hour dispute. The judgment NDA sustained it as valuable for minorities, while the Opposition called it “anti-Muslim.”

All resistance changes were declined by voice ballots. The Bill was passed with 288 enact favour and 232 versus.

Key modifications consist of enhancing Waqf tribunals, carrying out an organized choice procedure, and establishing a repaired period for reliable conflict resolution. The necessary payment of Waqf organizations to Waqf boards is minimized from 7 percent to 5 percent, and organizations making over 1 lakh will certainly encounter state-audited monetary testimonials.

Bill has to do with residential or commercial property monitoring: Kiren Rijiju

Introducing the Bill in the Rajya Sabha, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju made clear that it has to do with residential or commercial property monitoring, not religious beliefs. He specified that the Bill intends to consist of all Muslim sects in the Waqf board.

Rijiju educated the House that the variety of Waqf residential or commercial properties has actually raised from 4.9 lakh in 2004 to 8.72 lakh today. He advised the resistance to sustain the Bill, claiming it looks for to finish jobs left incomplete by previous federal governments.

He likewise highlighted that Waqf holds the biggest quantity of land in the nation, after the protection and train fields. Dismissing resistance worries, Rijiju ensured that the Bill is not versus Muslims and does not conflict with spiritual issues.

Govt names Waqf expense as UMEED

The federal government has actually chosen to relabel the Bill as Unified Waqf Management Empowerment, Efficiency and Development (UMEED), stressing its favorable intent.