New Delhi, Nov 28 (PTI) The Lok Sabha on Thursday passed a resolution to extend the mandate of the Joint Committee on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill till the last day of the Budget Session of Parliament next year.

Committee chairman and BJP leader Jagdambika Pal moved the resolution in the Lok Sabha, which approved it by a voice vote.

On Wednesday, opposition members of the committee staged a walkout and criticized Pal for claiming that the committee’s draft report was ready.

Pal and the BJP committee members then contacted opposition members and indicated their willingness to press for an extension of the committee’s deadline of November 29 to submit its report to the Lok Sabha.

The Lok Sabha had constituted the committee on August 8 and asked to submit its report on the last day of the first week of the winter session, i.e. Friday.

Following the committee’s last meeting on November 21, Pal had declared that his draft report was ready. He said the committee’s stakeholder consultation has been completed and its members will now discuss the report and suggest changes, if any, before it is adopted.

Opposition MPs strongly opposed this position at Wednesday’s meeting and quickly left the party. They claimed that Birla had assured them that his tenure would be extended.

Opposition parties sharply criticized the bill’s proposed amendments to the existing Waqf Act, alleging that they violated the religious rights of Muslims.

The ruling BJP claimed that the amendments would bring transparency in the functioning of waqf boards and make them accountable. PTI SKU SKU DV DV

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