Investigation of more properties including those with legal disputes will continue under the new legislation
Mohammad bin Ismail | Clarion India
NEW DELHI/BHOPAL – Investigation and verification of Waqf properties in Madhya Pradesh has officially begun, marking a significant move under the newly amended Waqf law. The first phase of the process, which focused on Bhopal, has already been completed, with 777 Waqf properties across 81 villages in the district being verified. The verification was carried out by Patwaris, with support from the Revenue Department, and involved recording the status of tenancy and occupation of these properties.
Madhya Pradesh currently has a total of 23,118 Waqf properties, and the verification process will focus on 14,986 land properties, which include houses, shops, lands, and buildings designated for public or business purposes. The Madhya Pradesh Waqf Board is responsible for managing these properties and overseeing the income generated from them.
The amended Waqf Act mandates the physical verification of Waqf properties. This law has limited the powers of the Waqf Board and made it compulsory to verify the physical existence of any property claimed by the Board. In cases where a dispute arises between the Waqf Board and a private individual regarding a property, the verification will also be mandatory under this law.
Bhopal’s Collector, Kaushalendra Vikram Singh, said the survey data from this process will be uploaded onto an online portal. “This will ensure transparency and provide easy access to the records, which will be crucial in the event of any future disputes,” he explained.
While the government views the process as a step toward greater transparency and accountability, some Muslim community leaders and members have expressed concerns over its implications. Many worry that the verification process could be used to target Muslim religious and social assets, leading to potential encroachments and disputes over properties that have long been under the management of the Waqf Board.
“This investigation appears to be an unnecessary intrusion into our religious and social properties. Many of these properties have been in the hands of the community for generations, and we fear that this law is being used as a pretext to seize or disrupt them,” Shahbaz Khan, a prominent Muslim leader from Bhopal, said.
Another local activist, Farida Begum, voiced similar concerns, stating, “The law is being implemented under the guise of transparency, but it raises serious questions about whether it will be used to target Muslims. We are already facing difficulties with encroachment, and this could worsen the situation.”
Some individuals believe that the law may be used to place further restrictions on the Waqf properties or shift their control away from the Muslim community. “While we are not opposed to transparency, we feel this law is more about undermining the community’s control over its own resources,” said Ahmed Khan, a local businessman with ties to the Waqf Board.
The implementation of the amended law is expected to have far-reaching implications for Waqf properties in Madhya Pradesh, which are worth billions of rupees. The verification of nearly 15,000 land properties controlled by the Waqf Board will play a pivotal role in strengthening government records and identifying any illegal encroachments on these properties.
The process has already been completed in 81 villages across the Huzur, Bairasia, and Kolar tehsils in Bhopal district. The next phase will involve expanding the verification to other districts.
One of the key aspects of the amended Waqf Act is its provision for verifying properties that are involved in legal or personal disputes. Until now, many disputes surrounding Waqf properties lacked official verification, causing prolonged legal conflicts. With the introduction of this new law, a clear verification process will be established, allowing for the physical inspection of every property and ensuring proper documentation.
Dr. Sanwar Patel, Chairman of the Madhya Pradesh Waqf Board, commented, “Under the amended law, physical verification of Waqf properties is being done. This process is essential for the welfare of the people and the protection of Waqf properties.”
With the verification of Waqf properties, Madhya Pradesh is taking a crucial step toward ensuring the protection of religious and social assets for the benefit of the public, while also addressing legal disputes that have lingered for years. However, as the concerns of the Muslim community indicate, the implementation of this law will require careful oversight to prevent it from becoming a tool for disenfranchising the very community it aims to protect.
