Page 14 - Waqf Board

Bill to overhaul Waqf Act likely today in Parliament: 5 proposed changes

The draft Bill seeks to omit Section 40 of the Waqf Act, which is linked to the powers of the Board to decide if a property is Waqf property

Continuous demands from poor Muslims to regulate waqf properties: Rijiju

With the government likely to table in Parliament a bill to amend the Wakf Act, 1995, Union Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiu on Monday said that continuous demands and representations were made by common Muslims to make regulation of waqf properties more transparent and efficient. He, however, did not comment on the bill during his brief intercation with reporters. The bill, which was recently passed by the Union Cabinet, has not been introduced in Parliament yet. "For a long time there have been continuous demands and representations from the poor and common Muslims, including women, to make waqf properties more transparent and efficient," Rijiju said. The bill to amend the Wakf Act will make it mandatory for waqf boards to register their properties with district collectors to ensure their actual valuation. There are 30 waqf boards in the country. Sources said the revenue generated by all waqf properties was estimated at Rs 200 crore per annum. This is not in sync with the

Decoded: How is a Waqf created, and what are the powers of Waqf Board?

A waqf can be established through a deed or instrument, or a property can be considered a waqf if it has been used for religious or charitable purposes over a long period

What are the key amendments in Waqf Act Amendment Bill? Key details

The Bill will allow for mandatory verification for all property claims by the Waqf Boards and change the composition and functioning of the boards, incorporating representation for women

Govt set to amend Waqf law to usher in more transparency, gender diversity

The government is all set to bring a Bill in Parliament to amend the 1995 law governing Waqf boards to ensure more accountability and transparency in their functioning and mandatory inclusion of women in these bodies, sources said. They claimed that the move comes in the backdrop of demands from within the Muslim community. The Bill to amend the Wakf Act, 1995, will make it mandatory for Waqf boards to register their properties with district collectors to ensure their actual valuation. There are 30 Waqf boards in the country. The sources on Sunday pointed out that the revenue generated by all Waqf properties is estimated at Rs 200 crore per annum. This is not in sync with the number of properties such bodies have, they said. Originally, Waqf boards had around 52,000 properties throughout India. By 2009, there were 3,00,000 registered Waqf properties covering four lakh acres of land, and as on date, there are 8,72,292 such properties in more than eight lakh acres of land. While ...

Waqf board scam: ED arrests AAP's Amanatullah Khan in money laundering case

As per CBI's charges, Khan had acquired huge proceeds of crime in cash through the illegal recruitment of staff in the Delhi Waqf Board

AAP MLA Amanatullah's plea for anticipatory bail to be heard by SC on Mon

The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear on Monday a plea of AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan seeking anticipatory bail in a money laundering case related to alleged irregularities in the Waqf Board during his chairmanship. A bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta is scheduled to hear the plea of Khan in which he has challenged the March 11 order of the high court, denying him the relief in the case. On March 11, disapproving repeated evasion of summonses of investigating agencies by public persons, the high court refused to grant pre-arrest bail to Khan. Noting that the Okhla MLA did not appear before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) despite six summonses, the high court had said legislators should know that disobeying the law will lead to legal consequences as all citizens are equal in the eyes of the law and an "MLA or a public figure is not above the law of the land". "This court wonders whether a person's plea of being busy with personal or official work can be a valid groun

Waqf Board money laundering case: AAP MLA moves court for anticipatory bail

Earlier on February 7, the Delhi High Court dismissed AAP MLA Amanat Ullah Khan's plea against the summons of ED in the Delhi Waqf Board money laundering case

Uttarakhand mosque, madrasa demolition: Understanding Nazul & Waqf lands

Nazul land belongs to the state, Waqf land constitutes properties permanently dedicated for religious purposes under Muslim law

Waqf Board money laundering case: ED gets 3-day custody of three accused

As per ED, the money laundering case pertains to sell purchase of land for Rs. 13.40 crores. It is alleged that the transaction involves proceeds of crime

Amanatullah acquired huge cash from illegal recruitment in Waqf Board: ED

A day after conducting raids against Aam Aadmi Party MLA Amanatullah Khan, the Enforcement Directorate on Wednesday alleged he acquired "huge proceeds of crime" in the form of cash from illegal recruitment in the Delhi Waqf Board and invested it in purchasing immovable assets in the name of his associates. The federal agency had on Tuesday raided 13 locations in the national capital linked to the legislator and persons associated with him. "The searches were conducted in the case related to illegal recruitment of staff in Delhi Waqf Board and illegal personal gains by way of unfairly leasing out of Waqf Board properties during the chairmanship of the Board by Amantullah Khan during 2018-2022," the agency claimed in a statement. It said a CBI FIR and three Delhi Police complaints formed the basis of its action against the Aam Aadmi Party MLA. Amanatullah Khan, the ED said, "acquired huge proceeds of crime out of the said criminal activities in cash and this cash amount was invested

HC seeks presence of Delhi Waqf Board CEO over non-payment of salaries

The Delhi High Court has directed the chief executive officer of Delhi Waqf Board to come before it and explain the reasons for non-payment of salaries to board employees for several months in spite of a court order directing clearance of the outstanding dues. Justice Jyoti Singh said the petition of the Delhi Waqf Board Employees depicts a "very sorry" state of affairs as admittedly the employees have not received their salaries for nearly nine months. The authorities were totally insensitive to the plight of the employees who were finding it difficult to make two ends meet, the judge said. Prima facie, the court said, there is scant regard for court orders, as despite there being an assurance on the last date of hearing, there was no certainty as to when salaries would be paid and now the usual and casual response is that the matter is under consideration and there is deficiency of funds. In this view of the matter, this Court deems it appropriate to direct Md. Rehan Raza, Chief .

U'khand Waqf Board asks CM to dispel fear among Muslims about their safety

The Uttarakhand Waqf Board appealed to Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Monday to dispel the fear among Muslims about their safety in the state in the wake of communal tension in Uttarkashi district. Communal tension has been brewing in Purola and some other towns of the district since an alleged abortive attempt last month involving two men, including one from the minority community, to elope with a Hindu girl. "The chief minister should give a firm assurance that helps restore a sense of security among Muslims about their lives and property in the state. What is happening in Uttarkashi and some other places is a cause for concern," Uttarakhand Waqf Board Chairman Shadab Shams told PTI. Forty-two shops belonging to Muslims have reportedly been closed in Purola since May 26, when the failed elopement bid was reported in the town, triggering tension. Posters were pasted by unidentified people on shops owned by Muslims, asking them to leave the town before a Mahapanchayat calle

No Eid prayers at historic Eidgah due to inclement weather: Waqf cheif

The congregational Eid-ul-Fitr prayers will not be offered at the historic Eidgah here due to inclement weather, chairperson of the Jammu and Kashmir Waqf Board Darakhshan Andrabi said on Thursday. The Waqf Board had earlier said that Eid prayers would be offered at the Eidgah for the first time in three years. However, when reporters here asked her about it, Andrabi replied, "It is difficult because of the weather." The Waqf Board chairmen said the congregational prayers would be offered at the Hazratbal shrine, which houses a relic of Prophet Mohammad. Andrabi visited the shrine overlooking the famous Dal Lake, and reviewed the preparations for the prayers. Eid will be celebrated on Friday or Saturday subject to the appearance of the crescent. "We have come to the dargah. The weather has been erratic for the last few days, but we have faith in God, and we hope the weather will improve. I have taken a review of the preparations for the Eid prayers. The Waqf Board has done ...

120 petitions challenging Waqf Act pending before courts, Delhi HC told

The Delhi High Court was on Wednesday informed by the Centre that nearly 120 writ petitions challenging one or more provisions of the Waqf Act are pending before various courts in the country. A bench headed by Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma, while hearing a PIL by lawyer Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay assailing certain provisions of the same law, asked the central government counsel to seek instructions on taking steps for the consolidation of all the cases. Counsel for central government prays for time to take appropriate steps and seek instructions for consolidation of all such cases, said the bench also comprising Justice Sachin Datta. Centre, in an application filed in the present petition, sought an extension of three months for filing the reply and said apart from the instant case, nearly 120 writ petitions challenging one or more provisions of the Waqf Act 1995, are pending before various courts. It submitted that it was essential to ensure that a clear and consistent view is

HC asks Waqf Board to file plea against Centre's decision on properties

The Delhi High Court Wednesday asked the Delhi Waqf Board to file a separate substantive petition to challenge the Centre's decision to take away 123 waqf properties. Justice Manoj Kumar Ohri refused to grant any interim relief in the board's application filed in a pending petition challenging the Centre's decision to re-examine the de-listing of its 123 properties. You file a fresh substantive petition to challenge the Centre's February 8 letter, the judge told the counsel for the board and listed the application along with the pending petition on August 4. The Land and Development Office (L&DO) of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (HUA) recently decided to take over 123 properties of the Delhi Waqf Board, including mosques, dargah and graveyards, based on the report of a two-member committee. Board chairman Amanatullah Khan has said the report of the committee was not shared with the board, and added that a case challenging its formation was already pending in the high ..

Delhi Waqf Board moves HC against Centre's decision: Amanatullah Khan

The Delhi Waqf Board has moved the High Court against the Centre's decision to take over 123 Waqf properties, Board chairman Amanatullah Khan said on Monday. He asserted that the 123 properties are with the Waqf Board for long and the Centre was bypassing the law and courts in trying to "occupy it forcibly". The Land and Development Office (L&DO) of Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs recently decided to take over the 123 properties of the Delhi Waqf Board, including mosques, dargah and graveyards.

Waqf board staff threaten to protest outside CM house against pending dues

With their salaries pending for the past several months, staff of Delhi Waqf Board went on strike on Friday, with Imams and Muazzins of the mosques affiliated to the board threatening to protest outside the Chief Minister's residence. The Waqf Board employees, majority of them contractual, have not been paid their salaries for the past 3-4 months, said an employee of the board. "We have already informed the Waqf Board authorities including the divisional commissioner about our problems but there is no development so far. The decision to go on strike was taken as a last resort," said the employees preferring not to be named. It was also claimed by the Imams and Muazzins of mosques maintained by the Waqf Board that they were also not paid their monthly wages for over five months. "If Delhi government does not work out a solution, we will soon stage a protest outside the residence of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal," said an Imam. No immediate reaction was available from Waqf Board Ch

3 controversial issues to be tabled as private members bill in Rajya Sabha

Three controversial issues will be introduced as private members bill in the Rajya Sabha on Friday

UP CM Yogi orders investigation of all properties registered under Waqf

The Uttar Pradesh government has decided to undertake a probe of all the properties recorded under Waqf