New Delhi: The central government of India recently introduced the Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2024 during the Monsoon session of Parliament. However, following strong opposition, the government decided to refer the bill to a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC).
The 31-member committee has labeled those opposing the bill as anti-Muslim.
Opposition parties have accused the government of not consulting the Muslim community on this matter. It is said that after the Railways and the military, the Waqf Board holds the most land in the country, with an estimated value of around ₹1.2 lakh crore.
Let’s explore the current status of Waqf properties in India, including which states or Union Territories they are located in.
Detailed information about Waqf properties and their status is available on a website created for this purpose. The site provides data on both immovable and movable Waqf assets.
According to the website, there are 356,047 Waqf properties across the country. The number of immovable Waqf properties stands at 872,324. As per the site, digital records for 329,995 Waqf properties have been prepared so far.
According to a report published in NDTV (Hindi) website, the Uttar Pradesh Sunni Central Board of Waqf holds the most Waqf Assets, with a total of 124,735 properties. On the other hand, the Chandigarh Waqf Board has the least, with only 33 Waqf properties.
How Many Immovable Waqf Properties Are There?
In terms of immovable Waqf properties, the Uttar Pradesh Sunni Central Board of Waqf leads with 217,161 properties. The West Bengal Board of Waqf follows with 80,480 Waqf properties.
In Dadra and Nagar Haveli, there is the least number of properties. Out of all the immovable Waqf properties in the country, only 339,505 are free from encroachments.
Additionally, 13,202 properties are embroiled in legal disputes, involving both internal and external issues, while 58,896 properties are under encroachment. Moreover, there is no information available about 436,169 properties, and 24,550 fall under the ‘Other’ category.
Movable Properties
When it comes to movable properties, the Tamil Nadu Board of Muslim Waqf leads with 8,605 movable assets. According to the website, there are no Waqf properties of any kind in Mizoram, Nagaland, and Sikkim.
What is Waqf?
Waqf refers to a property dedicated to Allah.
Essentially, any movable or immovable property can be designated as Waqf. If a person owns more than one house, they can donate or dedicate it as Waqf.
If someone wishes to dedicate any or all of their property as Waqf, they can specify in their will that after their death, the property cannot be used by their family members but will instead be managed by the institution responsible for Waqf properties.
A Waqf Board is established to manage Waqf properties. These boards operate at local and state levels. In states like Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, there are separate Shia and Sunni Waqf Boards.
State Waqf Boards are responsible for maintaining Waqf properties and managing the revenue generated from them, while the Central Waqf Council at the national level provides guidelines to the state boards.
How is Waqf Utilized?
Graveyards across the country are part of Waqf land. The maintenance of these graveyards is overseen by Waqf Boards. Currently, there are 30 Waqf Boards in the country, operating under the Waqf Act of 1995. These boards also support schools, colleges, hospitals, dispensaries, and guesthouses built for social welfare on Waqf properties.
The legal framework for Waqf properties began in 1913, and since then, several amendments have been made to the laws governing Waqf Boards. The most recent amendment was in 2013.
In a 1998 ruling, the Supreme Court stated that once a property is designated as Waqf, it remains so permanently. This principle is known as Manashay-e-Waqf and cannot be violated under any circumstances.
