Waqf

ASI gave a detailed presentation in the JPC meeting on issues related to Waqf Boards in protected monuments and sites.

Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) on Waqf Amendment Act 2024 has sought suggestions from stakeholders including the public, NGOs, experts, and institutions.

National President of the Sufi Islamic Board said that given the misuse of the Waqf Board over the past 70 years, the Sufi Islamic Board had submitted suggestions to address these issues

There have been significant changes in Waqf Act post independence giving Waqf Board virtually unlimited powers.

The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, which seeks to “effectively address" issues related to the powers of the State Waqf Boards, registration and survey of waqf properties and removal of encroachments, was introduced in Lok Sabha on Thursday.

The proposed legislation has omitted the controversial section 40 of the act which relates to the powers of the Waqf board to decide if a property is Waqf property.

The Waqf Board, on the other hand, contended that it had appropriately declared the property as Waqf and hence had the jurisdiction to force the ASI to remove the premises. It further contended that the ASI should have sought the Waqf Tribunal rather than filing a writ petition.

Maulana Sajid Rashidi, President of All India Imam Association, threatened that Muslims will be out on the streets if the Waqf Act is amended.

Imam Umer Ahmed Ilyasi, Chief Imam, All India Imam Organization said that it is the need of the hour to do amendment of Waqf Act and there should be no politics over it.

A Bench of Chief Justice SV Gangapurwala and Justice D Bharatha Chakravarthy struck down the provisions that enabled the Tamil Nadu Wakf Board Chief Executive Officer to order the eviction of encroachers.