Opinion | Waqf Bill 2024: A Global Benchmark for Modern Governance

As a researcher, I’d argue this isn’t just reform—it’s a blueprint for Waqf governance worldwide. India’s not following; it’s leading, and that’s a story worth telling.

When I first started studying Waqf systems across the world, I was struck by how countries like Qatar, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia have turned their endowments into engines of social good while India’s vast Waqf network languished. The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, changes that narrative, aligning India with global best practices in a way that feels both progressive and rooted in practicality. With 8.72 lakh properties under its ambit, as per WAMSI, India’s Waqf system is a giant—yet one that’s been hobbled by outdated governance.
This bill, far from being a local fix, positions India as a leader in modern Waqf management, balancing religious intent with administrative excellence. As someone who’s tracked these trends, I’m genuinely excited by what it promises.Look at the global landscape.
[02/04, 8:59 pm] Me: Qatar’s Law No. 8 of 1996 ensures Waqf properties are meticulously documented, with fines up to 1 million QAR for misuse. Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Awqaf uses a centralized registry to preserve assets while investing in real estate for sustainable growth. Turkey’s Directorate General of Foundations manages historical endowments through a digital database, preventing mismanagement. India’s bill mirrors these moves with its centralized portal, mandating Mutawallis to upload property details within six months (extendable by another six). This isn’t just digitization—it’s a leap toward transparency that rivals the UAE’s e-services or Bahrain’s eGovernment portal for Waqf management. I’ve seen how paper records here get lost or manipulated; this portal could be a game-changer.Financial oversight is another area where India’s catching up. Kuwait’s Awqaf Public Foundation and Saudi Arabia’s Awqaf Investment Company audit and invest Waqf funds, ensuring they grow while serving communities.
India’s bill introduces mandatory annual audits by CAG-appointed officers, with results published online. Revenue from Waqf properties has nosedived from ₹166.65 crore in 2019-2020 to ₹9.92 lakh in 2024-2025—a decline screaming for reform. By encouraging Shari‘ah-compliant investments and digitized leasing, the bill could unlock over ₹12,000 crore annually, as Sachar Committee projections suggest. That’s not just money—it’s schools, hospitals, and jobs for the underprivileged, aligning with Oman’s Ishraq Waqf Investment Fund model.What sets India apart, though, is inclusivity—a step many Muslim-majority nations haven’t taken. Qatar and Iran allow non-Muslims to establish Waqfs, but none mandate their representation in governance. India’s bill does, with two non-Muslim members in the Central Waqf Council and State Boards, alongside women and marginalized sects like Bohras and Aghakhanis. This isn’t meddling—it’s recognition that Waqf serves a diverse society, as the Allahabad High Court noted in 1965: Mutawallis manage, not own, properties, and their duties are secular.
Compare this to Pakistan’s provincial Waqf laws or Bangladesh’s 1962 Ordinance—none prioritize gender or backward-class representation. India’s approach feels like a breath of fresh air, reflecting its pluralistic reality.Protection is another global echo. Turkey’s Vakf Law and Saudi Arabia’s legal frameworks penalize misuse harshly, much like the bill’s stricter Mutawalli penalties (up to six months’ jail and ₹1 lakh fines) and the omission of Section 40’s arbitrary powers. The Collector’s role in verifying registrations parallels Iran’s state oversight, ensuring only genuine Waqfs are recognized. With 5,973 government lands wrongly claimed as Waqf, per WAMSI, this is a necessary check. The Limitation Act’s application and the removal of the Act’s overriding effect harmonize Waqf with other laws, reducing conflicts—a lesson Turkey learned with its 2008 reforms.Some might call this Westernization, but I see it as modernization with an Indian twist. The bill doesn’t touch Waqf’s religious core—Section 96 of the 1995 Act already empowers secular regulation. It’s about efficiency, accountability, and inclusivity, drawing from global successes while addressing local woes like the 60% Waqf land loss in Maharashtra. As a researcher, I’d argue this isn’t just reform—it’s a blueprint for Waqf governance worldwide. India’s not following; it’s leading, and that’s a story worth telling.
Write is a legal practitioner based in Srinagar and a researcher. He can reached on ahmadimranlegal@gmail.com