With no chairman or members in place after the board term ended in March, all work has nearly stopped
LUCKNOW —Work related to Waqf properties in Uttar Pradesh has almost come to a standstill after the state Waqf Board failed to be reconstituted even weeks after its term ended, leaving thousands of applications pending and raising serious concerns among those responsible for managing these properties.
According to available information, the tenure of the Uttar Pradesh Sunni Central Waqf Board ended on 15 March. However, more than a month later, neither a chairman nor members have been appointed. Due to this, no new orders are being issued and no policy decisions are being taken, affecting the functioning of the board.
Under the new law, the responsibility of appointing members and forming the board now rests entirely with the government. Earlier, some members and even the chairman were elected. This change, along with the delay in appointments, has created a situation where administrative work has slowed down significantly.
After the implementation of the Waqf Amendment Act 2025, all Waqf properties were required to be registered on the Umeed portal of the Centre. While a large number of properties have been registered, verification and approval processes are still pending in many cases. At present, officials in the board office are limited to basic tasks such as issuing copies of files, while action in cases of encroachment is possible only through orders of the Chief Executive Officer.
Other important work, including approvals for management committees and renovation activities, has been badly affected. Many Waqf properties, especially those where committees were either not registered or not renewed for years, are facing additional difficulties. In several cases, earlier caretakers have passed away, and new committees are waiting for formal approval.
Applications from different districts across the state continue to pile up. Even newly formed management committees are unable to proceed due to the absence of a functioning board. Renewal of already registered committees has also come to a complete halt.
The scale of the issue is reflected in the data available from the Umeed portal. Out of more than one lakh Waqf properties in the state, around 94,440 have been registered so far. Of these, 22,293 applications have been rejected, while only 22,375 have received approval. Around 15,816 applications are still awaiting approval, even after verification, and about 35,956 properties have been registered but not yet taken up for verification.
Experts have raised concerns over the high number of rejected applications. Javed Ahmad, president of an organisation working for the protection of Waqf properties, said, “Clear guidelines were not issued for the registration process, which led to mistakes by those responsible. People should carefully follow the provisions mentioned in the Waqf law while submitting details.”
Sources associated with the board said that many applications were rejected due to incorrect information, including errors in Waqf numbers, names, land area, and khasra details. “Applicants whose forms have been rejected will have to correct the details and submit them again. Only then can the process of verification and approval move forward,” a source said.
With no board in place, the biggest concern remains the safety and management of Waqf properties. Those associated with these institutions are now looking towards the government for early action. Many believe that unless the board is formed soon, delays will continue and the situation may become more difficult in the coming weeks.
