Rijiju launches portal for registration, monitoring of waqf properties
Rijiju launches portal for registration, monitoring of waqf properties
M.U.H
06/06/202520
Union minority affairs minister Kiren Rijiju on Friday launched a portal for the registration and monitoring of waqf properties, calling it a symbol of dedication to transparency and good governance.
The Unified Waqf Management, Empowerment, Efficiency, and Development (UMEED) portal seeks to bring all stakeholders onto a single digital platform and streamline the management of waqf properties by ensuring real-time data collection and open access to verified information.
“We are taking a firm step toward ensuring that waqf properties are used for the benefit of the intended communities,” said Rijiju at the portal launch in the presence of minister of state for minority affairs George Kurian.
Waqf properties are required to be registered on the portal within six months of the launch date. Rijiju asked representatives of state waqf boards, who were present at the launch virtually, to ensure adherence to the six-month limit.
Respective state boards will have to carry out the registrations. Properties not registered within six months may get up to a two-month extension in exceptional cases such as technical delays. Those that remain unregistered beyond the extended deadline will be classified as disputed and referred to the Waqf Tribunal.
Minority affairs secretary Chandra Shekhar Kumar said the portal will allow submission of documents for registering a property to prevent the inclusion of illegal or encroached land. He added the custodians of properties without documentation will be required to approach the tribunal for verification. “Since land is a state subject, it will ultimately be up to the state governments to confirm or deny whether the land in question is indeed waqf,” Kumar said. Kumar said that women, children, and economically weaker sections will be among the primary beneficiaries of Waqf assets.
The portal, which includes a field asking whether a property is on government land, was launched weeks after the passage of the Waqf (Amendment) Act. Petitions challenging the law’s constitutional validity are pending in the Supreme Court.
On April 17, the court declined to stay the law after the government submitted that certain provisions would not be enforced for now.
Rijiju refused to comment on the challenges to the law, saying the matter is sub judice. ”I hope the court recognises that this is a landmark law... The opposition must accept this and cooperate with the government to ensure smooth implementation. As for the waqf rules, it is a natural process. We are actively working on it.”
The waf properties have to be registered with details such as dimensions and geotagged locations. Properties recorded in the names of women will be ineligible to be declared as waqf.
The portal will generate a 17-digit unique identification number for each property based on the state and district codes, property type, etc. The portal features dropdown-based structured data input and an online grievance redressal mechanism. The public will have access to the property information.
A three-tier user verification process has been instituted for the portal. The mutawalli or an authorised person of a waqf board will initiate data entry. The checker will be a district-level officer or a designated official to verify the data, and the approver will be the CEO or an officer to grant final approval.
Data protection and privacy regulations will cover the portal. A toll-free helpline has been made available for technical assistance and support.
