Waqf (Amendment) Act 2025 aims for transparency and fair regulation, Kiren Rijiju clarifies

“The original objective of the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025 is to increase the efficiency of the Waqf Board by eliminating loopholes in the previous law,” explained Kiren Rijiju, Minister of Minority Affairs on Tuesday, assuring that that all poor, needy Muslims would get justice. This law has been enacted to address the issues and challenges in the regulation and management of ‘Wakf properties’, and will not violate anyone’s rights, he added. 

 

Speaking at a press conference held in Mumbai, Rijiju also clarified that the registered Waqf properties, or Waqf properties declared by notification, would not be touched. 

 

He added that he wished to remind those who were criticising the inclusion of non-Muslim members on the Waqf board that the chairman of the Kumbhamela management committee in Prayagraj was a Muslim,  named Azam Khan. However, we never ever thought like that, Mr. Rijiju pointed out.

 

Waqf Boards will not be able to arbitrarily declare any property as Waqf now because of this Act. Obviously, this law will prevent malpractices like declaring entire villages as “Waqf”. Many poor Muslim brothers and groups have supported this law. Communities like Pasmanda, Bohra, and Ahmadiyya have thanked Prime Minister Modi for passing this law. The main demands of this community have also been incorporated into this law. He also mentioned that there was no truth to rumours being spread by the opposition that this was done only for vote bank politics, and that this law would interfere in the religious affairs of Muslims.

 

‘Section 40’ of the ‘Waqf Act’ was being widely misused to declare private properties as ‘Waqf properties’. Mr. Rijiju clarified that to ensure fair and transparent administration of ‘Waqf’ properties, ‘Section 40’ of the ‘Waqf Act’ is now being removed.

 

He said that as per the rule, mutawallis would now have to register the information of the property on the central portal within six months. The management of ‘Waqf properties’ will be automatically done through the portal, which will include registration, audit, and litigation, which will bring transparency in the system. Disputes of any nature will be resolved by the District Collectors.

India