Amit Malviya Comments on the Nullification of Andhra Pradesh Waqf Board by NDA Government
Click to start listening
Amaravati, Dec 1 (NationPress) - BJP leader Amit Malviya has commended the nullification of the Andhra Pradesh State Waqf Board by the NDA government in the state.
The head of BJP's national information and technology department expressed his views on X on Sunday regarding this significant development.
“The Andhra Pradesh government has nullified the Waqf Board. There is no clause in the Constitution that endorses the existence of such a body in a secular nation like India,” he stated.
This remark arises amidst the ongoing controversy surrounding the Waqf Amendment Bill 2024, which has been sent to the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) for review.
On Saturday, the coalition government led by the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) issued an order to retract a previous order from the YSR Congress Party that had established the Waqf Board.
The earlier administration, headed by Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, had formed an 11-member Waqf Board on October 21, 2023, which included three elected members, comprising an MLA and an MLC. Additionally, eight members were nominated, including two women.
However, following challenges to the member nominations submitted to the Andhra Pradesh High Court, the court issued an order on November 1, 2023, to pause the election of the chairperson of the State Waqf Board.
After the YSR Congress Party lost its position to the NDA in the May 2024 elections, the TDP appointed its leader Shaik Abdul Aziz as the chairman of the State Waqf Board. Nonetheless, the Board's reconstitution was hindered by ongoing court cases.
The coalition government in the state consists of the TDP, Jana Sena, and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
The decision to dissolve the Waqf Board followed a report from the Chief Executive Officer of the State Waqf Board, highlighting the Board's prolonged inactivity and the pending writ petitions that questioned the validity of G.O. Ms. No. 47 dated October 21, 2023. This action was taken to address the legal disputes and avert an administrative gap.
The Secretary of the Minorities Welfare Department, Kati Harshvardhan, indicated that following a thorough review of the High Court's observations and to ensure effective governance, the protection of Waqf properties, and the efficient operation of the Waqf Board, the government promptly withdrew G.O. Ms. No. 47.
Minister for Minority Welfare N. Md. Farooq stated that the coalition government rescinded the GO issued by the previous administration. He noted that after challenges were made to the nominations of Waqf Board members, the High Court issued interim orders to halt the election of the chairperson.
The Minister emphasized that due to the legal complications, a functional vacuum arose within the Waqf Board, prompting the coalition government to issue a new GO to resolve the situation.
