The Kerala Assembly has unanimously passed a resolution urging the central government to withdraw the controversial 2024 Waqf Amendment Bill.
Kerala’s Minister for Minority Welfare, Sports, Waqf, and Pilgrimage, V. Abdurahiman, introduced a resolution calling on the Central Government to retract the 2024 Waqf (Amendment) Bill, arguing that it violates fundamental constitutional principles.
The proposal to retract the 2024 Waqf (Amendment) Bill indicated that the legislation, which seeks to modify the Waqf Act of 1995 (Central Act No. 43 of 1995), has been submitted to Parliament. The Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) has acknowledged receipt of this bill and has solicited feedback from a range of stakeholders, state waqf boards, and various organizations concerning the proposed amendments.
The suggested legislation seeks to undermine the authority of states in formulating laws concerning the Waqf, thereby contravening the federal principles enshrined in the Indian Constitution, as stated.
“The decision to exclude democratically elected representatives from the Board, replacing them solely with appointed members and a chairman selected by these appointees, fundamentally contradicts the principles of democracy,” the resolution asserted.
Furthermore, it indicated that this amendment would weaken the authority and operational capacity of the Waqf Board and Waqf Tribunal, infringing upon the secular tenets of the Indian Constitution.
The resolution acknowledged that the Wakf Act exists to safeguard the properties of Wakf Endowments and institutions for members of the respective religion, in accordance with the rights granted by Article 26 of the Constitution. Furthermore, the resolution called upon the Centre to retract the proposed amendment bill. Subsequently, Speaker AN Shamseer declared that the House had unanimously passed the resolution.
