Waqf Amendment Bill: How numbers stack up in Parliament – who’s supporting and who’s opposing

The contentious Waqf Amendment Bill, 2024 has set the stage for a showdown in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday, with the BJP-led Centre tabling it in the House for discussion and passage amid repeated ruckus from the Opposition comprising of INDIA bloc parties who on Tuesday staged a walkout from the House, terming the proposed legislation as unconstitutional. 

Speaking to reporters, Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said the Lok Sabha’s business advisory committee (BAC), which includes leaders from all major parties, chaired by Speaker Om Birla has agreed on an eight-hour debate, which could be extended after taking the sense of the House.

Early signs of a heated debate between the treasury and opposition benches over the bill were evident during the meeting, as the Congress and several other INDIA bloc members walked out, accusing the government of suppressing their voices. However, the political tensions and the length of the debate are unlikely to influence the outcome, as the ruling BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) holds a strong majority in the Lok Sabha.

For it to become a law, the Waqf Amendment bill needs to be passed in the Lok Sabha and then in the Rajya Sabha before it’s signed by the President.  

Waqf Bill in Parliament: How numbers stack up in Lok Sabha

The NDA holds 293 seats in the House, which has a current strength of 542 MPs. The BJP has often succeeded in garnering support from independent members and smaller parties.

Parties in support of Waqf bill

The NDA, led by the BJP, holds a secure majority in the Lok Sabha, where 272 votes are required to pass legislation. Out of 293 MPs supporting the NDA, the BJP has 240 members, followed by 16 from the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), 12 from the Janata Dal (United), seven from the Shiv Sena, five from the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), and two each from the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD), the Janata Dal-Secular (JDS), the Jana Sena Party (JSP) and seven others. The total strength of the Lok Sabha stands at 542.

The BJP is confident of full backing from its allies, as the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) has addressed their concerns. Similarly, Nitish Kumar’s JDU, too, has signalled its support for the bill, with senior leader KC Tyagi stating the party has shared its concerns with the Centre and is hopeful they will be addressed.

Parties opposing Waqf Bill

Opposition parties have strongly opposed the bill, condemning it as unconstitutional and detrimental to the interests of the Muslim community. Several prominent Muslim organisations have been actively mobilising support against the bill.

Leading the INDIA bloc’s campaign against the bill, Congress has 99 seats in the Lok Sabha, followed by the Samajwadi Party – 37, TMC – 28, DMK – 22, Shiv Sena (UBT) – 9, NCP-SP – 8, CPIM – 4, RJD – 4, AAP – 3, JMM – 3, IUML – 3, and JK National Conference – 2, and 13 others. This brings up the total to 235 against the NDA’s strong 293. Leaders of all these parties have expressed that they will vote against the bill during the voting. Asaduddin Owaisi, the lone MP from AIMIM, is also staunchly opposing the bill, though he is not part of the INDIA bloc.

A few other parties who are yet to reveal their stance are the YSRCP (4 MPs) and the Shiromani Akali Dal (1 MP).

Waqf Amendment Bill background

The Union Cabinet has recently approved the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, incorporating the changes suggested by the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC), clearing the way for its introduction in Parliament for discussion and passage.

The Bill was initially introduced in the Lok Sabha by Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju and was referred to the JPC in August 2024. The parliamentary panel adopted the report with a majority vote, despite objections from all 11 opposition MPs on the committee, who also submitted dissent notes.

The comprehensive 655-page report was presented to both Houses of Parliament earlier this month.