AAP govt 'supersedes' Waqf Board, strips it of powers

AAP Government has "superseded" the Delhi Waqf Board, transferring all its powers and duties to the Secretary (Revenue) in the city administration.

"In exercise of the powers conferred under Section 99(I) of the Waqf Act, 1995, the Government of NCT of Delhi hereby supersedes the Delhi Waqf Board with immediate effect for a period of six months," said a notification issued by Revenue Secretary A Ambarasu on October 10, 2015.

Rana Parween Siddiqui, Chairperson of the Board, said she has "filed an appeal in the Delhi High Court seeking quashing of the notification. The court will hear the case on October 30."

The notification has also stipulated that "in accordance with Section 99(2)(b) of the Waqf Act, 1995, all the powers and duties of the Board under the provisions of the Act will be exercised and performed by the Secretary (Revenue) Government of NCT of Delhi."

"I received the notification on October 15 and stopped going to Waqf Board office," said Rana who has also filed a writ petition in the High Court for notification of her election as Chairperson of Delhi Waqf Board by the Delhi Government.

Rana was elected as Chairperson of the Delhi Waqf Board in a meeting of members of the Board on January 20.

"There are a total of seven members of Delhi Waqf Board. At the time of my election, there were only six members out of whom four elected me as Chairperson of the Board," she said.

However, her election was not notified by Delhi Government, against which she filed the petition in Delhi High Court.

The court in its order on April 29 had directed the respondent Delhi Government to maintain status quo vis a vis position of the Chairperson till further hearing.

"The notification issued by the government superseding Delhi Waqf Board despite the status quo order by the High Court is a clear case of contempt of court. I will move a separate application in the court regarding this, " she added.