Latest news with #WaqfTribunal
Hindustan Times
5 days ago
- Business
- Hindustan Times
Rijiju launches portal for registration, monitoring of waqf properties
Union minority affairs minister Kiren Rijiju on Friday launched a portal for the registration and monitoring of waqf properties, calling it a symbol of dedication to transparency and good governance. The Unified Waqf Management, Empowerment, Efficiency, and Development (UMEED) portal seeks to bring all stakeholders onto a single digital platform and streamline the management of waqf properties by ensuring real-time data collection and open access to verified information. 'We are taking a firm step toward ensuring that waqf properties are used for the benefit of the intended communities,' said Rijiju at the portal launch in the presence of minister of state for minority affairs George Kurian. Waqf properties are required to be registered on the portal within six months of the launch date. Rijiju asked representatives of state waqf boards, who were present at the launch virtually, to ensure adherence to the six-month limit. Respective state boards will have to carry out the registrations. Properties not registered within six months may get up to a two-month extension in exceptional cases such as technical delays. Those that remain unregistered beyond the extended deadline will be classified as disputed and referred to the Waqf Tribunal. Minority affairs secretary Chandra Shekhar Kumar said the portal will allow submission of documents for registering a property to prevent the inclusion of illegal or encroached land. He added the custodians of properties without documentation will be required to approach the tribunal for verification. 'Since land is a state subject, it will ultimately be up to the state governments to confirm or deny whether the land in question is indeed waqf,' Kumar said. Kumar said that women, children, and economically weaker sections will be among the primary beneficiaries of Waqf assets. The portal, which includes a field asking whether a property is on government land, was launched weeks after the passage of the Waqf (Amendment) Act. Petitions challenging the law's constitutional validity are pending in the Supreme Court. On April 17, the court declined to stay the law after the government submitted that certain provisions would not be enforced for now. Rijiju refused to comment on the challenges to the law, saying the matter is sub judice. 'I hope the court recognises that this is a landmark law... The opposition must accept this and cooperate with the government to ensure smooth implementation. As for the waqf rules, it is a natural process. We are actively working on it.' The waf properties have to be registered with details such as dimensions and geotagged locations. Properties recorded in the names of women will be ineligible to be declared as waqf. The portal will generate a 17-digit unique identification number for each property based on the state and district codes, property type, etc. The portal features dropdown-based structured data input and an online grievance redressal mechanism. The public will have access to the property information. A three-tier user verification process has been instituted for the portal. The mutawalli or an authorised person of a waqf board will initiate data entry. The checker will be a district-level officer or a designated official to verify the data, and the approver will be the CEO or an officer to grant final approval. Data protection and privacy regulations will cover the portal. A toll-free helpline has been made available for technical assistance and support.
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Business Standard
02-06-2025
- Business
- Business Standard
Govt to launch Umeed portal on June 6 to digitise, regulate Waqf properties
The central government is preparing to roll out a new platform called the 'Umeed' portal on June 6, aimed at improving the management and transparency of Waqf properties across India, according to a report by India Today. The name 'Umeed' stands for Unified Waqf Management, Empowerment, Efficiency, and Development. The portal will serve as a centralised system to register all Waqf properties across the country, the report added. Mandatory registration within six months Under the new plan, all Waqf properties must be registered on the portal within six months of its launch. Each registration must include full details such as measurements (length and width) and geotagged locations. Properties that are registered under women's names will not be eligible to be classified as Waqf properties. However, women, children, and people from economically weaker sections will continue to be key beneficiaries of Waqf assets. The State Waqf Boards will be responsible for helping with property registrations. If technical or serious issues prevent registration within the deadline, a one- to two-month extension may be granted. After that, any unregistered property will be labelled as disputed and referred to the Waqf Tribunal for settlement. Linked to New Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025 The launch comes soon after the passage of the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025, which received presidential assent from President Droupadi Murmu on 5 April. The Bill was passed by both Houses of Parliament after considerable debate. Currently, multiple petitions challenging the Waqf Act are pending before the Supreme Court. The central government has asked the court to dismiss these petitions, arguing that the Act is not in violation of constitutional rights. On April 17, the Supreme Court refused to stay the law after the government promised not to enforce some provisions for now. In the most recent hearing on 27 May, the court asked the Centre and other parties to submit their responses. What is Waqf Law? The term 'waqf' comes from the Arabic word waqufa, meaning to detain, hold, or tie up. In Islamic tradition, it refers to a charitable endowment where property is donated permanently for religious or charitable purposes. Once declared as Waqf, the property cannot be sold, inherited, or transferred. A Waqf involves three main roles: The wāqif: the person who donates or dedicates the property. The mawqūf 'alayh: the beneficiaries who receive the support or benefits. The mutawalli: the trustee who manages the property. Major changes in the new law The new Waqf law introduces major reforms in how such properties are managed. It increases government oversight in both managing the assets and handling disputes. A key change is that the decisions of the Waqf Tribunal will no longer be final. Those unhappy with the tribunal's ruling can now appeal directly to the relevant high court within 90 days. This is intended to strengthen judicial supervision and prevent misuse of power by the Waqf Boards or tribunals. The Waqf (Amendment) Bill was approved in the Lok Sabha after a 12-hour debate. A total of 288 members voted in favour, while 232 opposed it. During the discussions, the NDA government supported the Bill, calling it beneficial for minority communities, while the opposition labelled it as 'anti-Muslim'. All amendments proposed by the opposition were rejected by voice votes.
NDTV
02-06-2025
- Business
- NDTV
Centre To Launch Portal For Registration Of Waqf Properties On June 6: Sources
New Delhi: The verdict on challenges to the amended Waqf law put on hold by the Supreme Court, the government has decided to move forward with the registration of Waqf properties. Sources said the Waqf Umeed portal - where registration will be mandatory -- will be launched on June 6. If any property is not registered, it will be considered as disputed and the matter will be sent to the Waqf Tribunal, sources said. If any waqf property is not registered within six months due to some technical issue or any other major reason, they can be given additional time of one to two months. The full form of "Umeed" is "Unified Waqf Management, Empowerment, Efficiency, and Development Act" and it is being launched with the aim of promoting management and transparency of Waqf properties, sources said. Waqf properties across the country will be registered through this portal and Election Commission data will be used for identification of the properties, sources said. Each property has to be geo-tagged and its complete details, including dimensions and coordinates, should be declared on the site. Registration of the properties will be done through the State Waqf Board and for this the Waqf Board will provide technical help. Property registered in the name of women cannot be declared as Waqf.
Hindustan Times
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Centre to Supreme Court: 'Waqf not essential part of Islam'
Defending the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025, in the Supreme Court, the Centre on Wednesday argued that waqf is indeed an Islamic concept but not an essential part of the religion. The government said in Islam, waqf means "just charity". "Waqf is an Islamic concept. But it is not an essential part of Islam. Waqf is nothing but just charity in Islam," said Solicitor General Tushar Mehta today, arguing before Chief Justice BR Gavai and Justice Augustine George Masih. He added that "charity is recognised in every religion, and it cannot be regarded as an essential tenet of any religion". The Supreme Court was hearing a clutch of petitions, filed by politicians and Muslim bodies, against amendments to the Waqf law, which were ratified by President Droupadi Murmu last month. Arguing against the waqf by user concept, Mehta said nobody could claim rights over public land by using the principle, which was a statutory right and the law could take it away. "Waqf by user" refers to a concept where a property is recognised as waqf based on its long-term use for religious or charitable purposes, even without formal documentation. 'Waqf by user is not a fundamental right, it is a creature of statute, and what the legislature creates, it can also take away,' he said. He added that a stay on the provision that abolishes "waqf by user" on unregistered properties would defeat the purpose of the legislation, which was enacted to end usurpation of government land. Also read: 'Courts cannot interfere unless glaring case made out': CJI Gavai's remark on Waqf Act He further said that nobody has the right over the government's land. Addressing concerns that district collector-level officers would decide on disputes over waqf property, he said these officials will not determine the property's ownership finally. He said the eviction or takeover of property could only occur after due process through the Waqf Tribunal proceedings (under Section 83) and subsequent appeals. He also said that the bill was passed after deliberations. Also read: What is Waqf Amendment Bill and why is Opposition against it? "There has been an unprecedented level of consultation. It's not the case that this was done behind closed doors. Many of the suggestions made by stakeholders were either incorporated or reasonably rejected," Mehta added. Addressing the concerns over the inclusion of non-Muslims in the Central Waqf Council, he said only four non-Muslims out of 22 members will be allowed in these panels. 'Non-Muslims can also be aggrieved or affected or beneficiary, and this is the reason that non-Muslims have been included,' he explained. With inputs from PTI
New Indian Express
21-05-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Waqf not an essential part of Islam, Centre tells SC while defending amended law
NEW DELHI: The Centre on Wednesday defended the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025 in the Supreme Court and said though waqf was an Islamic concept, it was not an essential part of Islam. Arguing before Chief Justice B R Gavai and Justice Augustine George Masih, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said, "Waqf is an Islamic concept. But it is not an essential part of Islam.. Waqf is nothing but just charity in Islam." "Charity is recognised in every religion, and it cannot be regarded as an essential tenet of any religion," he said. Earlier in the day, Mehta asserted nobody could claim right over public land by using waqf by user principle which was a statutory right and the law could take it away. "Waqf by user" refers to a concept where a property is recognised as waqf based on its long-term use for religious or charitable purposes, even without formal documentation. Responding to the challenge against the validity of the 2025 law, Mehta argued the amended law dealt with the secular aspects of waqf and activities that were non-essential to Islam. Mehta said the "waqf by user" concept did not permit 'wholesale takeover of waqf properties' by the state as alleged. 'Waqf by user is not a fundamental right, it is a creature of statute, and what the legislature creates, it can also take away,' he said. Any stay of the provision on abolition of unregistered "waqf by user" properties would defeat the purpose of the law which has been enacted to remedy the mischief like usurpation of government land, Mehta added. 'The Centre is the custodian of properties on behalf of 14 crore citizens,' he said, 'and nobody has the right over government land.' Mehta said, 'There is a Supreme Court judgment which says the government can save the property if it belongs to the government and has been declared as waqf.' Contesting the argument of government officers arbitrarily claiming land as government property from now on and override waqf status, he called it 'misleading and false.' On the point of an officer above the rank of a district collector deciding the dispute on the claim over an alleged waqf property, he said officer wouldn't finally determine the property's ownership. Mehta said the eviction or takeover of property could only occur after due process through the Waqf Tribunal proceedings (under Section 83) and subsequent appeals. The possession would continue with the waqf until the issue was fully adjudicated, he said.
