Modi Government Introduce Waqf Amendment Bill In Parliament: A Numbers Game

The second phase of the budget session is underway in Parliament, and amidst ongoing protests, the Modi government introduce the Waqf Amendment Bill.

The bill is presented in the Lok Sabha today. The Cabinet has already approved the bill following the Joint Parliamentary Committee’s (JPC) report.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju had first introduced the bill in the Lok Sabha on August 8, 2024.

Now, the focus shifts to how challenging it will be for the government to secure the passage of this bill in both Houses of Parliament. Let’s break it down through the numbers.

Lok Sabha: A Look At The Numbers

The Lok Sabha currently has 542 members.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leads with 240 seats, while the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), including its allies, holds a combined total of 293 seats. To pass the bill, the government requires 272 votes in favor.

In contrast, the opposition represent 99 Congress members. If we add all the members of the India Block alliance, the opposition tally reaches 233.

There are also independent MPs who have not openly pledged support to either side, and some MPs, like Chandrashekhar of the Azad Samaj Party and Harsimrat Kaur Badal from the Shiromani Akali Dal, are not part of any major alliance.

Rajya Sabha: Government’s Strong Position

Turning to the Rajya Sabha, there are 236 members in total. BJP holds 98 seats in the Rajya Sabha, and the NDA alliance controls 115 seats.

Including six nominated members, who typically vote in favor of the government, the NDA’s effective strength rises to 121 seats.

The threshold required to pass any bill in the Rajya Sabha is 119, meaning the NDA already has a comfortable margin of 2 seats.

Also Read: Waqf (Amendment) Bill Will Benefit Muslims, Says All India Muslim Jamaat Chief

In the opposition camp, Congress holds 27 seats, and the India Alliance parties collectively have 58 seats, bringing the opposition’s total to 85 members.

Other smaller parties and independent members, such as the YSR Congress with 9 seats, BJD with 7, and AIADMK with 4, add another 20 members to the mix.

In both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, the government has enough support to pass the Waqf Amendment Bill.

The government, with a majority in both Houses, is set to secure over 272 votes in the Lok Sabha and 119 votes in the Rajya Sabha.

JPC Report And Rejection Of Opposition Amendments

The JPC, led by MP Jagdambika Pal, recently presented its report in Parliament, which included 14 amendments proposed by the NDA.

The committee, however, rejected all 14 amendments suggested by the opposition, signaling that the government has the upper hand in this legislative battle.

With strong numerical support in both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, the Modi government is likely to successfully pass the Waqf Amendment Bill.

While the bill has sparked controversy and protests, the Modi government’s majority in both Houses gives it a significant advantage in navigating the legislative process.