Bid To Delay Waqf Amendment Bill? Opposition MPs On Joint Committee Refuse To Conclude Discussion, Protest Against Chairman Pal

In a bid to delay the tabling of the Waqf Amendment Bill in the upcoming Winter Session of the Parliament, opposition members of the Joint Committee demanded more time to study the draft legislation.

When Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and chairman of the Joint Committee Jagdambika Pal announced that today (21 November) was the last meeting of the panel, opposition members started protesting.

After sloganeering, some of them called Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla seeking his intervention in the matter as Pal told them a draft report would be circulated to committee members shortly for review.

The Lok Sabha has directed the committee to submit its report by the end of the first week of the Winter Session of Parliament, which begins on 25 November, The New Indian Express reported.

The government has scheduled the Waqf (Amendment) Bill for discussion and passage during the Winter Session, conditional on the presentation of the Joint Committee's report in the Lok Sabha.

Opposition members on the panel have previously accused BJP MP Pal of acting in alignment with the government's interests. At one point, they even considered withdrawing from the committee's work entirely.

Their primary grievance centered around the frequent, day-long meetings that left little time for preparation. They also criticised Pal for allegedly "bulldozing proceedings" by failing to consult members when deciding whom to summon for testimony.

Several opposition members had earlier raised these concerns with Speaker Birla, seeking intervention regarding Pal's approach to the committee's functioning.