• Source:JND
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A Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) on Monday cleared the hyped Waqf Amendment Bill with 14 changes to the draft that was tabled in the Lok Sabha during the monsoon session, last year. The committee discussed 44 amendments and later passed 14 out of them after voting. The proposals by opposition MPs got rejected as 16 votes were filed against their proposals, while only 10 in their favour.

Committee's Chairman BJP MP Jagdambika Pal stated that a thorough process was followed before reaching to the conclusion. "44 amendments were discussed. After detailed discussions over the course of 6 months, we sought amendments from all members. This was our final meeting... So, 14 amendments have been accepted by the committee on the basis of a majority. Opposition too had suggested amendments. We moved each and every of those amendments & it was put to vote but there were 10 votes supporting theirs (suggested amendments) and 16 votes opposing it," Pal stated.

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Earlier on Friday, several of the opposition MPs were suspended for 10 days for the misconduct. The opposition MPs alleged that the ruling party MPs are doing the amendments as per their will and the opposition is not getting enough space for the amendments to the proposed bill.

The JPC was earlier asked to submit its report by November 29, 2024 but the deadline was further increased due the then ongoing assembly elections of Maharashtra and Jharkhand. The deadline was later extended to February 13- the final day of Parliament's Budget Session. Most of the meetings regarding the amendment of the bill ended in chaos as the ruling and opposition MPs were not on the same page. The opposition MPs even accused the Chair of bias towards the ruling party MPs.

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In a letter to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla last week, opposition MPs alleged that the committee was trying to conclude the findings in hurry ahead of the Delhi assembly polls, allegedly to set a narrative for the polls.