New Delhi: The much-debated Waqf Amendment Bill is scheduled to be introduced in Lok Sabha on Wednesday. A total of 8 hours has been allocated for detailed discussions on the bill. Following the debate, voting on the bill will take place, as stated by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju.
To ensure the bill’s passage, the BJP has issued a whip instructing all its MPs to be present in the House. Additionally, BJP’s allies in the ruling NDA coalition, such as the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), Shiv Sena, and Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), have also directed their MPs to attend the session on Wednesday.
On the other hand, the opposition alliance INDIA Bloc is planning strategies to block the bill. A meeting of opposition parties was held on Tuesday evening to formulate a strategy against the Waqf Bill. During the meeting, opposition parties unanimously decided to oppose the bill and plan to vote against it. Parties like the Congress and Samajwadi Party have also issued whips, instructing their MPs to be present in the House.
With 293 NDA members in Lok Sabha, the government does not anticipate any major hurdles in passing the bill. In Rajya Sabha, the NDA also holds a majority. After getting Lok Sabha’s approval on Wednesday, the government plans to introduce the bill in Rajya Sabha on Thursday, for which the BJP has issued a whip for its MPs to be present.
The government has proposed the Waqf Amendment Bill to modify the existing Waqf Act of 1995. The bill was first introduced in Lok Sabha in August last year and was later referred to a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) for review. After thorough examination, the JPC suggested 14 amendments, which the government has approved. The revised bill will now be introduced in Lok Sabha.
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