The Indian government is set to table the Waqf Amendment Bill, 2025, in Parliament, aiming to introduce crucial reforms for the management of Waqf properties across the country. The proposed amendments seek to modernize the system, enhance transparency, and improve governance while addressing longstanding legal disputes and mismanagement issues. Despite the opposition creating hue and cry, the bill is a necessary step toward ensuring the efficient and accountable administration of Waqf properties.
The Waqf Act, 1995, and its subsequent amendments have failed to curb multiple issues in Waqf property management, including illegal land occupation, disputes over ownership, lack of accountability, and the controversial doctrine of “once a Waqf, always a Waqf.” The government argues that these problems have led to widespread litigation, corruption, and inefficiencies in managing these assets. The Waqf Amendment Bill, 2025, aims to rectify these shortcomings by introducing stricter regulations and increased oversight mechanisms.
One of the most significant provisions in the bill ensures that Waqf properties remain as such unless they are either disputed or recognized as government property. This eliminates arbitrary claims and brings clarity to property ownership. Additionally, the amendment mandates that all Waqf properties be registered and their details uploaded to a centralized digital portal within six months of the bill’s enactment. This move will prevent unauthorized claims and enhance transparency.
The bill also introduces much-needed inclusivity in Waqf management by allowing non-Muslims and Muslim women to participate in Waqf Boards at both the state and central levels. This change ensures that Waqf properties are managed in a more diverse and accountable manner, preventing their misuse for vested interests. Currently, 2 out of 22 members in the Central Waqf Council and 2 out of 11 members in the State Waqf Boards can be non-Muslims, promoting broader representation.
Furthermore, the bill strengthens Waqf tribunals by enforcing a structured selection process and fixed tenures for tribunal members, ensuring fairer dispute resolution. This addresses the previous lack of judicial oversight, where tribunal decisions could not be appealed in higher courts, limiting legal recourse.
The government has emphasized that digitization and strict auditing of Waqf properties will help unlock their economic potential for the welfare of the poor. By preventing illegal occupations and ensuring better financial management, revenue from Waqf properties can be redirected toward educational institutions, healthcare, and housing projects benefiting marginalized communities. Additionally, reducing the mandatory contribution of Waqf institutions to the boards from 7% to 5% will ease financial pressure on them, allowing for better fund utilization. While the opposition has been creating fearmongering atmosphere against the bill as unconstitutional, the government asserts that it does not target any community but rather seeks to bring Waqf management in line with principles of transparency, inclusivity, and good governance.
