Fri Apr 04 03:13:51 UTC 2025: ## Waqf Amendment Bill Passed by Indian Parliament After Heated Debate

**New Delhi, India** – The Indian Parliament has passed the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025, following a tense debate and division votes in both houses. The bill, aimed at improving the management and transparency of Waqf properties, cleared the Lok Sabha on Thursday with 288 votes in favor and 232 against, and the Rajya Sabha on Friday with 128 in favor and 95 opposed.

The legislation, which has undergone review by a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC), incorporates technology-driven management solutions and aims to streamline the often complex workings of Waqf boards. Union Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju stressed that the bill is not intended to be anti-Muslim, but rather to modernize and improve the functioning of Waqf properties, addressing shortcomings from previous administrations.

While the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance championed the bill as beneficial for minority communities, opposition parties voiced strong concerns, characterizing it as anti-Muslim and rejecting proposed amendments. The bill now awaits presidential assent to become law.

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