Portal To Register Waqf Properties Soon, Will Aim At Transparency: Sources

The verdict on challenges to the amended Waqf law put on hold by the Supreme Court, the government has decided to move forward with the registration of Waqf properties. Sources said the Waqf Umeed portal -- where registration will be mandatory -- will be launched on June 6.

If any Waqf property is not registered, it will be considered as disputed and the matter will be sent to the Waqf Tribunal, sources said. If registration is delayed due to some technical or any other major issue, an extra one to two months can be granted.

The full form of "Umeed" is "Unified Waqf Management, Empowerment, Efficiency, and Development Act" and it is being launched with the aim of promoting management and transparency of Waqf properties, sources said. 

Waqf properties across the country will be registered through this portal and Election Commission data will be used for identification of the properties, sources said. 

Each property has to be geo-tagged and its complete details, including dimensions and coordinates, should be declared on the site. Complete details are essential, since property registered in the name of women, or where women are the heirs, cannot be declared as Waqf.

The responsibility of getting the Waqf property registered will belong to the Mutawalli (Manager). Registration of the properties will be done through the State Waqf Board and for this the board will provide technical help.

The government's big move on the hugely controversial issue came within a fortnight of the Supreme Court reserving its verdict in the matter. 

In course of the hearing, the court had told the petitioners - who, among other things, had challenged the law as unconstitutional -- that there is a presumption of constitutionality in legislation that clears Parliament. In such instances, courts cannot interfere unless a glaring case is made out, Chief Justice of India BR Gavai had said.

The top court had also made it clear that the requirement for mandatory registration of Waqf properties date back to 1923.