Page 2 - Waqf Board

Karnataka HC quashes case against Bommai for remarks against Waqf board

Basavaraj Bommai was accused of promoting enmity between religious groups after he accused Waqf authorities of land encroachment

'New chapter': Govt launches UMEED portal for Waqf property management

The government on Friday launched the UMEED portal that would create a digital inventory after geo-tagging of all Waqf properties with Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju calling it a historic step that would ensure that community-owned Waqf assets are utilised effectively and fairly for poor Muslims. The UMEED central portal, short for Unified Waqf Management, Empowerment, Efficiency and Development Act, 1995 will serve as a centralised digital platform for real-time uploading, verification, and monitoring of Waqf properties. "The UMEED portal will add a new chapter in the history of Waqf property management and administration in India. It will not only bring transparency but will also help the common Muslims, particularly women and children," Rijiju said after launching the UMEED central portal. The portal, developed by the Ministry of Minority Affairs, was officially inaugurated in the presence of Union Minister of State for Minority Affairs George Kurian. Calling it a histor

Rijiju vows to make Central Waqf Council stronger, highlights new reforms

Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Thursday said the government aims at making the Central Waqf Council more robust and responsive in its service to the community and highlighted the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025 for strengthening the legal and administrative framework to manage Waqf properties. Rijiju made the remarks at en event organised to mark World Environment Day with a special tree plantation drive under the theme, "Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam", at the Central Waqf Bhawan here. "We aim to make the Central Waqf Council more robust and responsive in its service to the community," he said. The minister underlined the government's continued efforts to empower minority institutions like the Central Waqf Council (CWC) and ensure transparent governance. Referring to recent legislative progress, he highlighted the Waqf (Amendment) Act, which strengthens the legal and administrative framework for managing Waqf properties. The CWC, a statutory body under the administrative control of the

SC upholds Delhi HC order, rejects Waqf Board claim on Shahdara gurudwara

A bench of Justices Sanjay Karol and Satish Chandra Sharma ruled that the gurudwara's continued existence since 1947 outweighed the Waqf Board's claim to the Shahdara property

Govt to launch Umeed portal on June 6 to digitise, regulate Waqf properties

The Centre will launch the 'Umeed' portal on June 6 to register and manage Waqf properties, aiming for transparency, better regulation, and digital tracking across Indian states

Speculation rife over possible BRS-BJP tie-up, Kavitha writes to KCR

A handwritten feedback letter purportedly written by BRS leader K Kavitha to her father and former Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, highlighting both the negative and positive aspects of the party's recent meeting, has sparked discussions in Telangana's political circles. Though the authenticity of the letter has not been confirmed, neither Kavitha's office nor that of KCR has commented on it. As you ( KCR) spoke for just two minutes, some people began speculating that there will be a tie-up with BJP in future. Even I personally felt that you should have spoken strongly (against BJP). It might be probably because I suffered (because of BJP). But you should have targeted BJP some more, Daddy, Kavitha mentioned in the letter written in Telugu and English. Despite hours passing since it surfaced, the opposition party has not issued a denial. The BRS celebrated its Silver Jubilee on April 27 in Warangal. Kavitha cited Rao's silence in the meeting on key issues such as 42 per cent .

Supreme Court reserves orders on challenges to Waqf Amendment Act 2025

The Supreme Court has reserved interim orders on petitions challenging the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025, after hearing arguments on denotification, board composition, and waqf by user provisions

No one can claim government land as Waqf, Centre tells Supreme Court

Centre defends Waqf (Amendment) Act in Supreme Court, says even land used for religious activity cannot override state ownership if it's government property

Murshidabad violence: HC panel blames police, names TMC leader in report

Calcutta High Court panel says TMC leader led targeted attacks on Hindu homes while police failed to act as shops, temples and houses were looted and burned

Waqf case: Centre urges SC to limit hearing to 3 issues for interim orders

The Centre on Tuesday urged the Supreme Court to confine the hearing on pleas challenging the validity of the Waqf (Amendment) Act for passing interim orders to three issues, including the power to denotify properties declared as waqf by courts, waqf-by-user or waqf by deed. A bench comprising Chief Justice B R Gavai and Justice Augustine George Masih was asked by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre, to confine the proceedings identified by the earlier bench. The court had earmarked three issues. We had filed our response to these three issues. However, the written submissions of the petitioners now exceed several other issues. I have filed my affidavit in response to these three issues. My request is to confine it to the three issues only, the law officer. The submission was opposed by senior advocates Kapil Sibal and Abhishek Singhvi, appearing for those challenging the provisions of the 2025 law, that there cannot be any piecemeal hearing. One of the issues

'Everyone wants name in newspapers': SC rejects pleas against Waqf law

The Supreme Court on Friday refused to examine a couple of fresh pleas challenging the constitutional validity of the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025, saying everybody wants name in newspapers. A bench comprising Chief Justice B R Gavai and Justice Augustine George Masih said it would decide the pending matter scheduled to come up on May 20. The apex court would then hear the point of interim relief in the case. As soon as one of the pleas came up for hearing on Friday, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre, objected and said there can't be an "endless" filing of pleas challenging the Act. The counsel appearing for the petitioner said he had filed the petition on April 8 and removed the defects pointed out by the apex court registry on April 15 but his plea was not listed for hearing. "Everybody wants his name to be in the newspapers," the CJI observed. When the lawyer urged the bench his plea should be tagged with the pending petitions, the bench said, "We will dec

ED conducts raids at 9 locations in Gujarat in Waqf Land misuse case

According to the release, during the course of search operations, Bank funds to the tune of Rs 2 Crore (approx) were freezed, Rs 30 Lakh seized in cash and Rs 7 Lakh crypto were freezed

ED files case in Gujarat over alleged irregularities in Waqf property

The Enforcement Directorate on Tuesday launched multiple searches in Gujarat as part of a money laundering investigation linked to alleged financial irregularities in certain Waqf properties in the state, official sources said. A case has been filed by the agency under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) taking cognisance of a Ahmedabad Police FIR field against one Salim Khan Jumma Khan Pathan, Mohammad Yasar Abdulhamiya Sheikh, Mehmud Khan Jumma Khan Pathan, Fezmohamad Pir Mohammad Chobdar, and Saheed Ahmad Yakubhai Sheikh. They had "illegally" claimed to be trustees of the Kanch Ki Masjid Trust and Shah Bada Kasam Trust, the agency said. About nine premises of the accused and their associates are being raided across Gujarat by the Ahmedabad zonal office of the agency, the sources said. The accused entered into "fraud" lease agreements, extorted rents from tenants, and submitted false affidavits to the Waqf Board. The ED, a federal probe agency, suspects that the accuse

Bench led by next CJI BR Gavai to hear pleas against Waqf Act: SC

The Supreme Court on Monday said the pleas challenging the Waqf (Amendment) Act's constitutional validity will be taken up by a bench headed by Chief Justice of India-designate Justice B R Gavai on May 15. As soon as a bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justices Sanjay Kumar and K V Viswanathan assembled for the hearing, the CJI said, There are certain aspects which you (Centre) dealt with, but that require clarification. I do not want to reserve any judgment or order at this interim stage. This matter will have to be heard on a reasonably early date and this will not be before me. CJI Khanna demits office on May 13 and will be succeeded by CJI-designate Justice Gavai a day after his superannuation. We have not very deeply gone into the counter affidavit (of the Centre). Yes, you have raised certain points in regards to registration (of Waqf properties) and have given some disputed figures, that will require some consideration, the CJI said. We would have loved to pur

Supreme Court to hear Waqf petitions, decide on interim order today

The Centre had told the Supreme Court that it would not denotify any waqf properties or make appointments to the Central Waqf Council and boards until May 5

Waqf Act: AIMPLB questions correctness of Centre's affidavit in SC

The All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) has accused the Centre of submitting incorrect data in the Supreme Court in the Waqf case and sought action against the officer concerned for filing a "false affidavit". The board has expressed serious objections to the statement made by the government that there has been a "shocking increase" in the number of Waqf properties uploaded in the central portal after 2013. The AIMPLB has accused the Centre of placing incorrect data and sought action against the officer concerned of the Ministry of Minority Affairs for filing a "false affidavit". "It appears that in its affidavit, the Union of India is suggesting that all the properties registered as Waqf before 2013 were immediately uploaded on the WAMSI portal, when it became operational. At page 158, the first column with the title 'number of properties in 2013' to say that the number of Waqf properties reflected therein were the only registered properties is mischievous. "The deponent

Waqf Act violates 'basic structure' of Constitution: Sena (UBT) leader

The contentious Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025, violates the landmark Supreme Court judgment on the "basic structure" doctrine of the Constitution, a senior Shiv Sena (UBT) leader has claimed. Sanjay Lakhe Patil, secretary of the Uddhav Thackeray-led opposition outfit, accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of deliberately trying to dismantle the spirit of communal harmony -- what he described as the 'Ganga-Jamuni Tehzeeb' or unifying composite culture-- by creating divisions among communities. The Sena (UBT) functionary made these remarks while addressing a gathering organised by the All India Muslim Personal Law Board's Jalna unit on Thursday. He claimed the new amendment in the Waqf Act, passed by Parliament last month, violates the landmark Kesavananda Bharati judgment by the Supreme Court, which laid down the "basic structure" doctrine of the Constitution. The 1973 Kesavananda Bharati judgement on basic structure doctrine had clipped the vast power of Parliament to amend the ...

SC refuses to entertain fresh plea challenging Waqf (Amendment) Act

The Supreme Court on Monday refused to entertain a fresh plea challenging constitutional validity of the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025, saying it cannot entertain "hundreds" of petitions on the issue. A bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar asked the counsel for petitioner Syed Alo Akbar to file an intervention application in pending five cases which will be taken up on May 5 for passing interim orders. You withdraw this. We passed an order on April 17 saying only five petitions will be taken up for hearing, the CJI said, adding, It will be open for the petitioner to file an application in the pending petitions if so advised. On April 17, the bench decided to hear only five of the total number of pleas before it and titled the case: "In Re: Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025". About 72 petitions, including those by AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi, All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB), Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), Anwar Basha .

Over 20 lakh acre waqf land added post 2013 amendment: Centre to SC

The Centre on Friday claimed an addition of 20 lakh acre waqf land post the law's 2013 amendment and flagged "misuse" of waqf provisions to encroach upon private and government properties. In a preliminary affidavit in the Supreme Court, the Centre urged the bench headed by Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna to dismiss the pleas challenging the validity of the Waqf (Amendment) Act. The government termed it "really shocking" that after the amendment brought in 2013, there was a 116 per cent rise in the auqaf area. "Right before even Mughal era, pre-independence era and post-independence era, the total of wakfs created was 18,29,163.896 acres of land in India," it claimed. The Centre, however, said, "Shockingly after 2013, the addition of wakf land is 20,92,072.536 acres." The affidavit claimed the figures were uploaded by the respective waqfs and waqf boards voluntarily on Waqf Management System of India portal. The government said it has been the consistent experience that every waqf an

Waqf row: Centre opposes SC blanket stay on law with presumed validity

The Centre on Friday defended the amended Waqf Act in the Supreme Court and opposed any "blanket stay" by the court on a "law having presumption of constitutionality passed by Parliament". In a preliminary 1,332-page affidavit, the Centre urged the top court to dismiss the pleas challenging the validity of Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025, pointing out a "mischevious false narrative" surrounding certain provisions. "While this court would examine these challenges when the cases are heard, a blanket stay (or a partial stay) without being aware of the adverse consequences of such an order in a generality of cases (even on members of the Muslim community itself) were the petitions to be unsuccessful, would be uncalled for, especially in the context of the presumption of validity of such laws," it argued. The Centre, as a result, urged a bench headed by Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna, set to hear pleas for passing interim directions on May 5, not to stay the law's provisions. The government ...