#WaqfAmendmentBill: After Lok Sabha , Rajya Sabha Too Passes The Contentious Bill After 13-Hour Debate ; 128 For , 95 Against

Parliament early Friday approved the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025, after the Rajya Sabha gave its nod to the contentious legislation following an over 13-hour debate.

The discussion witnessed staunch objections from opposition parties, which termed the Bill “anti-Muslim” and “unconstitutional” with the government responding that the “historic reform” would benefit the minority community.

The Bill was passed in the Rajya Sabha with 128 members voting in favour and 95 opposing it. It was passed in the Lok Sabha early Thursday, with 288 members supporting it and 232 against it.

Parliament also approved the Mussalman Wakf (Repeal) Bill, 2025, with the Rajya Sabha giving its nod. The Lok Sabha has already given its assent to the Bill.

Participating in the discussion, Union Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju accused the Congress and other opposition parties of scaring the Muslim community with the Bill and asserted that the central government worked for all with the motto of ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas’.

Rijiju said the Waqf Board is a statutory body and, as such, like all government bodies, it should be secular. He said the inclusion of a few non-Muslims on the Waqf Board would not alter the decisions of the body and instead would add value.

The minister also claimed that the Bill brought by the government has incorporated several suggestions made by the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) as well as the stakeholders.

The Opposition INDIA bloc parties opposed the Bill, alleging that it was “unconstitutional” and aimed at targeting Muslims. They claimed that the aim of the legislation was to take over the properties of Muslims and hand them to corporation.

Reacting to the Rajya Sabha voting, Senior Congress leader and General Secretary in charge of Communications, Jairam Ramesh tweeted on X