8.72 Lakh Immovable Waqf Properties Documented in Government Records
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New Delhi, Dec 9 (NationPress) A total of 8.72 lakh immovable and 16,713 movable Waqf properties are documented across the nation under the Waqf Act, 1954 and the subsequent Waqf Act, 1995, as reported to Parliament on Monday.
In a written response to the Rajya Sabha, Minister of Minority Affairs Kiren Rijiju stated that according to the data available on the Waqf Assets Management System of India portal—entered by the respective State Waqf Boards—there are 8,72,352 immovable and 16,713 movable Waqf properties throughout the country.
Uttar Pradesh holds the highest number of 2,32,547 immovable properties registered on the WAMSI, comprising 2,17,161 Sunni properties and 15,386 Shia properties, according to the data provided by the Minister.
West Bengal follows with 80,480 Waqf properties, while Punjab has 75,965 Waqf properties and Tamil Nadu has 66,092 immovable properties registered.
In terms of movable properties, Tamil Nadu leads with 8,605 entries on the WAMSI.
Responding to a query from Dr. John Brittas of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), the Minister noted that as per the data on the WAMSI portal, 994 Waqf properties have been categorized as alienated.
The majority of the alienated properties are situated in Tamil Nadu (734) and Andhra Pradesh (152), he informed.
Providing insights regarding the alienated properties and efforts to reclaim them, the Minister explained, “Section 51(1-A) of the Waqf Act states that any sale, gift, exchange, mortgage or transfer of Waqf property is void ab initio.
“Moreover, Section 52 of the Waqf Act allows the Board, after conducting an inquiry in the prescribed manner, to determine if any Waqf property has been alienated. Should this be the case, the Board may send a requisition to the Collector, who oversees the area where the property is located, to take possession and return it to the Board. According to the WAMSI portal, 994 Waqf properties have been identified as alienated,” he concluded.
