AI-generated responses form major chunk of emails received by Parliamentary panel on Waqf amendments

Committee receives 75,000 written suggestions and objections to Bill. Panel asks Kerala Waqf Board, State government to present views on October 1 at a meeting in Bengaluru

Artificial Intelligence (AI)-generated responses formed a major chunk of the nearly 96 lakh emails received by the Joint Parliamentary Committee on Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2024 as the deadline for the public to file comments ended on September 15.

The panel will now tour various States meeting stakeholders, including the State governments, State Waqf Boards and the State Minority Commissions.

Besides the email responses, it also received over 75,000 written suggestions and objections to the Bill as Muslim and non-Muslim organisations competed to send their responses to the amendments that evoked countrywide political reactions. The final count of responses is expected to go up significantly, according to panel sources.

The AI-generated responses may not have much impact on the job laid out for the committee as they may be segregated. However, all the responses would form part of the records of the panel and be treated as confidential.

Non-Muslim forums

Several non-Muslim organisations, including various State Bar Councils, organisations of tenants of different Waqf Boards and Mutawallies (persons who are responsible for the management and administration of individual Waqf properties), too have responded.

The panel will also seek the views of agencies such as the Archaeological Survey of India; various government departments; Ministries of Road Transport and Highways, Railways, Housing and Urban Affairs, and Law and Justice; and legal experts. A few sitting MPs have sought opportunities for personal hearing, sources said.

Meanwhile, the panel led by Jagadambika Pal, MP, will meet the representatives from Maharashtra, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka from September 26 to October 1.

‘Scrap amendments’

The panel has asked the Kerala Waqf Board and the State government to present their views on October 1 at a meeting to be held in Bengaluru. Incidentally, the State government and the board had earlier separately asked the panel to scrap the amendments, which according to them, violated the constitutionally guaranteed rights of the religious groups to manage their religious affairs.

The State would once again present its views before the panel, said V. Abdurahiman, State Minister for Waqf. A conclave organised by the government had also passed a resolution to drop the amendments.

Published - September 22, 2024 07:20 pm IST