Indian Government Moves to Amend Wakf Act to Curb Waqf Board Powers

India’s Union government is set to introduce a bill in Parliament aimed at significantly amending the Wakf Act, with a focus on limiting the extensive powers of Waqf boards, Muslim Mirror reported yesterday.

Approved by the Union Cabinet, the bill proposes around 40 amendments to the existing law, originally established in 1954 to manage waqf properties for charitable purposes.

Waqf boards have become major landowners in India, with their holdings reportedly doubling since 2009. Key changes include restructuring Waqf boards and ensuring women’s representation in the Central Waqf Council and state boards.

The bill also seeks to amend Sections 9 and 14 to enforce stricter verification of land ownership before declaring properties as Waqf. This move follows a June 2023 notice from the Delhi High Court regarding 123 properties in Delhi claimed unlawfully as Waqf properties, underscoring ongoing implementation issues.