Opposition members seek extension for parliamentary panel on Waqf Bill

Opposition members of the Joint Committee on the Waqf Amendment Bill on Monday met Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla with a complaint against panel chairman Jagadambika Pal, accusing him of bulldozing the proceedings on the crucial matter.

In a memorandum to the Speaker, the opposition members also sought an extension of the tenure of the Joint Committee of Parliament by a "reasonable time" to allow substantive deliberations on the expansive legislation.

"We submitted to the Speaker that the due processes are not followed by the chairman. He is hurrying up, bulldozing the proceedings," DMK member A Raja told reporters after meeting the Speaker.

Among the members who met the Speaker are DMK leaders Raja and M Abdulla, Congress members Syed Naseer Hussain, Mohammed Jawed and Imran Masood, Trinamool members Kalyan Banerjee and M Nadimul Haque, AAP member Sanjay Singh, SP member Mohibbullah and AIMIM member Asaduddin Owaisi.

Raja said Pal was not following the due process of the Joint Committee of Parliament and had announced suo-motu that the report has to be presented to Parliament on November 29.

"There are so many procedures, including dissent notes, and vote on each and every clause of the proposed Bill. All these things have to happen," the former Union minister said.

In the memorandum, the opposition leaders told the Speaker that the Waqf Amendment Bill was an expansive legislation that involved many major changes to the existing law.

"Therefore, a mere three-month time before the report is finalised is not only inadequate but may result in improper recommendations. In order for proper consultation and deliberation, the committee's tenure must be extended by a reasonable time," the opposition members said.

They said that the parliamentary panel had held 25 sittings and included evidence by "various irrelevant organisations" while presentations by various state governments such as Bihar, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh were pending.

The government has listed the Waqf Amendment Bill in its legislative agenda for the Winter Session of Parliament, pending a report from the parliamentary panel.

The Bill seeks to amend the Waqf Act, 1995 to ensure more accountability and transparency in the functioning of Waqf Boards and also has provisions for mandatory inclusion of women in these bodies.

The Bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha on August 8 and referred to a Joint Committee of Parliament the same day. The committee was asked to submit its report on the last day of the first week of the Winter Session.