Parliament Session Updates: Bill to amend Waqf Act circulated among Lok Sabha members

Wednesday is the thirteenth day of the Monsoon Session of Parliament. The session began on July 22 and is scheduled to end on August 12, if not adjourned sine die. Several key bills are likely to be introduced during the day.

However, there is no news of when – or if – the much-talked-about bill for amendments to the Waqf Act will be introduced during the Monsoon Session. To be sure, there is no official communication on whether the Waqf Act is being amended; media reports have stated that as many as 40 amendments have been approved by the government.

Meanwhile, on Tuesday, External Affairs Minister (EAM) Subrahmanyam Jaishankar briefed Members of Parliament (MPs) on the situation in neighbouring Bangladesh, where month-long student-led protests led to the ouster of the Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League government on the previous day. Hasina, Bangladesh’s longest-serving prime minister serving a record fifth term, was forced to flee the country; she came to India and is likely to stay for the next few days.

Also on Tuesday, an all-party meeting was held on Bangladesh. The meeting, chaired by EAM Jaishankar, was attended by several opposition leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha.