Waqf Bill in Rajya Sabha Today
The central government had introduced the Waqf Amendment Bill in the Lok Sabha, which led to intense debates between the ruling party and the opposition. The INDIA alliance opposed the bill, while NDA parties supported it. The bill was presented by Union Minister Kiren Rijiju and was passed in the Lok Sabha after discussions. Today, Thursday, it will be introduced in the Rajya Sabha, where the central government is unlikely to face significant hurdles. NDA allies such as JDU, TDP, Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde), and NCP are expected to support it.
Union Minister for Parliamentary and Minority Affairs, Kiren Rijiju, will present the Waqf Amendment Bill in the Rajya Sabha at 1 PM today. The Rajya Sabha currently has 236 members, and a majority requires the support of at least 119 members. The BJP alone has 98 members in the Rajya Sabha.
What is the Number Game in the Rajya Sabha?
The Rajya Sabha consists of 236 members, with the BJP holding 98 seats. The NDA coalition has around 115 members. If we include six nominated members who generally vote in favor of the government, the NDA reaches 121 members—two more than the required 119 for passing the bill.
On the opposition side, the Congress has 27 members, while other parties within the INDIA bloc contribute 58 members, bringing the total opposition strength to 85. Additionally, YSR Congress has 9 members, BJD has 7, and AIADMK has 4. Three independent or small-party members are not aligned with either the ruling or opposition alliance.
Kiren Rijiju introduced this bill in the Lok Sabha on August 8, 2024, but following opposition protests, it was sent to a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC). After reviewing the report led by Jagdambika Pal, the Cabinet approved the revised bill.
The Waqf Amendment Bill has already been passed in the Lok Sabha. During the voting process, 288 votes were in favor, while 232 were against, out of a total of 464 votes. The bill was debated for over 12 hours, during which Minister Kiren Rijiju and opposition MPs expressed their views. Now, the bill will be presented in the Rajya Sabha and subsequently sent for presidential approval.