The Parliament’s Budget Session resumes on Monday with several key bills on the agenda, following a week of intense debates between opposition and ruling parties who are likely to again spar over several issues.
In the Lok Sabha, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will introduce the Appropriation Bill and Finance Bill.
Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal is set to present legislation on readjusting the representation of Scheduled Tribes in Goa’s Assembly constituencies.
The Rajya Sabha will see the introduction of the Oilfields (Regulation and Development) Amendment Bill by Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Tuesday.
Reports have also suggested the government may propose amendments to the Waqf Act, potentially limiting the Waqf Board’s authority to designate properties. These changes would reportedly include mandatory verification for property claims.
To be sure, there was no confirmation from the government over this and no updates have been made to the legislative agenda since before the session began.
Reports on Sunday cited unnamed government officials as saying the move was in line with demands from the Muslim community.
In 2013, the Congress government expanded the powers of the Waqf Boards through amendments to the Waqf Act, 1995, which regulates assets designated for religious or charitable purposes under Muslim law. The new amendments are designed to increase women’s representation on the Central Waqf Council and state boards, introduce measures for monitoring properties with district magistrates, and address delays in property surveying.
In the Rajya Sabha, opposition members plan to discuss the functioning of several ministries, including Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, New and Renewable Energy, and Cooperation.
