A recent survey of Waqf properties in Uttar Pradesh reveals that a significant portion of these properties could lose their Waqf status due to provisions in the Waqf Amendment Bill 2024.
Currently, approximately 1,14,624 properties—comprising both Sunni and Shia endowments—are at risk.
The proposed bill includes a clause that would revoke the Waqf status of properties under “Waqf By User,” affecting about 4,624 properties under the Shia Waqf Board and over 1,10,000 properties in the Sunni Waqf Board.
In Uttar Pradesh, approximately 1,25,000 Waqf properties are listed with the Sunni Central Waqf Board, with 1,10,000 of these categorized as Waqf by User. Additionally, the Shia Central Waqf Board holds 7,785 properties, with 4,624 listed under this category.
During a meeting of the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) in Lucknow, the Uttar Pradesh government presented a report detailing the survey of Waqf properties, highlighting that around 14,000 hectares of land in the state are claimed as Waqf, with over 70% of this land being government property.
The survey excluded several famous landmarks, including Lucknow’s Chota Imambara, Biga Imambara, and Begum Hazrat Mahal Park, from being recognized as Waqf properties. This aligns with earlier findings by the Sachar Committee, which had declared 60 Waqf properties as government-owned.
Jagdambika Pal, the JPC president, emphasized that the government has now conducted a thorough survey of these properties, which previously lacked proper records.
He confirmed that the 60 properties identified by the Sachar Committee are also part of the ongoing survey process.
The JPC has held meetings with various stakeholders, including government officials, Islamic scholars, and legal experts, and Pal stated that this would be the final round of discussions before the committee prepares its report, expected to be presented on January 31.
Shia Waqf Board Chairman Ali Zaidi questioned the government’s claim that landmarks like Chota Imambara are not Waqf properties, deeming these assertions inaccurate.
The ongoing survey, he noted, has raised several concerns among religious leaders, particularly regarding the quality of the data provided by the Minority Welfare Department.
The JPC’s work on this critical issue continues, and stakeholders eagerly await further developments as the proposed changes to Waqf management loom large.