The Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2024, has set the stage for a potentially heated political standoff between the ruling BJP-led NDA government and the opposition INDIA bloc. Amidst stirring political tensions, the Waqf Bill will be presented today, April 2, 2025, in the Lok Sabha. Both the BJP and Congress parties have issued whips to their MPs to be present in the House on Wednesday to pave the way for a crucial discussion. The bill is expected to be tabled at noon after the question hour.
Final Outcome Depends On Majority
An 8-hour discussion will be held in the house following the tabling of the bill. The allotted time may be extended and the outcome depends on the majority number on the floor. Meanwhile, a meeting was held in Parliament by INDIA bloc leaders on Tuesday where they actively criticised the Waqf Bill.
Meanwhile, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju and other BJP leaders have announced their support for the bill. On the other hand, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge opposed it, stating, “All the Opposition parties are united and shall work together on the floor of the Parliament to defeat the Unconstitutional and divisive agenda of the Modi Govt on the Waqf Amendment Bill.”
Which Parties Are Opposing The Bill?
The majority of the opposition parties are against the Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2024, which aims to amend the Waqf Act 1995. This includes the Indian National Congress (INC), the Samajwadi Party (SP), the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Trinamool Congress, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) and other left parties. However, there are speculations that a few opposition parties are neutral and may not be present in the house during voting.
Understanding Equations In Lok Sabha And Rajya Sabha
Lok Sabha comprises 545 seats. Out of these, there are a total of 543 MPs in the lower house of the Parliament. To pass any bill, the support of 272 MPs is necessary to form a majority number. NDA currently has a total of 294 MPs, while INDI Alliance has 234 MPs. In that case, if voting takes place, the ruling NDA government can easily pass the bill in the Lok Sabha.
On the other hand, the current seating capacity of the Rajya Sabha is 245 (233 elected, 12 appointed). At present, there are a total of 236 MPs in the house. In this, 115 MPs are from NDA, while 6 MPs are nominated members. BJP has a total of 96 MPs in the upper house. This includes 4 MPs of JDU, 2 of TDP, and other MPs from small parties. To pass a bill, the government needs the support of 119 MPs in the Rajya Sabha, which is two more than the majority.
About Waqf Bill
The Waqf Bill was previously presented in the Lok Sabha in August 2024 amidst an uproar by the opposition. Following this, a Joint Parliamentary Committee was constituted under the leadership of BJP MP Jagdambika Pal. The House panel submitted its report on 13th February this year, which was approved by the Cabinet on the 19th. Later, the panel accepted 14 changes suggested by the National Democratic Alliance (NDA). They reportedly rejected all 44 changes proposed by the Opposition.
