Officials of the Waqf Boards work 24/7 to complete the registration process; rejection concerns grow
NEW DELHI/LUCKNOW — With the June 5 deadline for registering waqf properties on the Central government’s UMEED portal drawing near, the Uttar Pradesh Sunni Central Waqf Board and the Uttar Pradesh Shia Central Waqf Board have stepped up efforts to complete the process.
Under the Waqf Amendment Act 2025, details of waqf properties nationwide must be uploaded and verified on the UMEED portal. As the final date approaches, officials from both boards are working at full pace to complete the registration, verification, and approval of thousands of properties.
The urgency of the situation has led both boards to cancel the leave of their officers and employees for the next four days. Additional staff members have also been appointed to speed up the process and deal with the growing number of applications, corrections and appeals.
Speaking to Clarion India, Uttar Pradesh Shia Waqf Board Executive Officer Zeeshan Rizvi said the board was making every effort to ensure that all waqf properties are registered before the deadline.
“Our objective is to complete the registration process for all waqf properties before the last date. Initially, there were some technical difficulties with the portal, but most of those issues have now been resolved,” Rizvi said.
However, he pointed out that many properties were facing difficulties because trustees had not submitted the required records and supporting documents.
According to Rizvi, more than 2,000 Shia waqf properties have already been rejected during the verification process because the necessary documents were not available or could not be verified.
“The biggest challenge is documentation. Where trustees have failed to provide the required records, those properties are being rejected during scrutiny,” he said.
The pressure on the waqf board offices has increased significantly in recent days. Trustees, mosque committee members and other stakeholders from different districts of Uttar Pradesh are arriving in Lucknow to resolve issues connected with registration and verification.
At the offices of the waqf boards, long queues of applicants can be seen seeking clarification regarding property records, approval status and document requirements.
Many applicants say they are facing uncertainty because of missing documents or delays in approval, despite having submitted their applications months ago.
Mahdi Hasan, who travelled from Jaunpur, said he was trying to obtain documents related to his waqf property.
“I do not have a copy of Section 37 related to the property. I hope I will receive the required certificate soon. If the mosque details are not uploaded on the UMEED portal, the future process may be affected,” he said.
His concern is shared by many trustees who say they possess some records but are unable to locate others that are now being sought during verification.
Several applicants have complained that despite completing registration, the status of their properties continues to show as pending on the portal.
Noor Mohammad from Badaun, who works as a coordinator, said many people were confused about the status of their applications.
“People are approaching us because even after registration, their properties are showing as pending. In some cases, properties have been rejected, but the concerned persons have not received any information regarding the reasons,” he said.
According to him, many applicants possess gazette notifications related to their waqf properties but do not have proof connected with Section 37 requirements.
“Such people are also reaching the board office for help. If mistakes are not corrected within the next two or three days, these properties may be treated as cancelled,” he added.
The situation has caused concern among trustees and local mosque committees, particularly in districts where records are old or incomplete.
Abdul Qadir from Bareilly said he approached the waqf board office to register details of shops attached to a mosque.
“I was not fully aware of the process or the documents required. Before completing registration, I wanted to understand what information must be submitted,” he said.
For many applicants, the challenge is not only obtaining documents but also understanding the technical requirements of the online system.
Imran Hashmi, a resident of Dewa Sharif in Barabanki district, said he had registered his mosque several months ago but was still waiting for approval.
“I registered the mosque in November, but its status is still showing as pending. I have been in Lucknow for the last three or four days and have been contacting officials continuously, but no satisfactory solution has been provided so far,” he said.
The concerns expressed by applicants have increased as reports of property rejections continue to emerge.
Ahmed Mian from Lucknow said there was a need for greater public support during the registration campaign.
“While waqf properties are being registered rapidly on the portal, the rejection of a large number of properties has created concern among people. The waqf board should have established help desks and additional assistance centres for the convenience of applicants,” he said.
He also expressed concern about the limited time available for correcting errors.
“There appears to be little possibility of an extension from the Central government. In many cases, collecting the necessary documents to address objections is proving difficult,” he added.
To cope with the growing workload, both waqf boards have increased manpower.
According to officials, three additional employees have been appointed in the Shia Waqf Board, while 15 additional staff members have been engaged by the Sunni Waqf Board.
These employees are working on uploading property details, conducting verification checks and processing approvals on the portal.
Officials say the cancellation of leave and deployment of additional staff underline the seriousness with which the boards are approaching the deadline.
Data released by the Uttar Pradesh Sunni Central Waqf Board shows the scale of the exercise currently under way.
According to the board, the process was initiated for a total of 132,679 waqf properties. Out of these, details of 119,597 properties have already been uploaded to the portal.
Among the uploaded properties, 73,111 have received approval. However, 31,319 properties have been rejected due to incorrect information or documentation issues. A further 4,199 properties remain pending at the approval stage.
Another 13,699 properties are pending at the checker level, where details are being examined and verified.
These figures indicate that while substantial progress has been made, a significant number of properties still require attention before the deadline.
The position of the Shia Waqf Board presents a similar picture.
The board has a total of 7,745 waqf properties. Of these, details of 7,594 properties have already been uploaded to the UMEED portal. A total of 4,047 properties have been approved.
Another 151 properties remain pending at the approval stage. At the checker level, 431 properties are awaiting verification.
Meanwhile, 2,496 properties have been rejected.
Officials have clarified that even properties currently categorised as rejected can still be corrected and uploaded again before June 5, 2026.
This provision is being viewed as an important opportunity for trustees who are struggling with documentation issues.
Officials have urged applicants not to wait until the final day and instead complete corrections as soon as possible.
Beyond Lucknow, efforts are also underway across the districts of Uttar Pradesh to improve registration rates and help applicants meet the deadline.
The Minority Welfare Department has directed District Minority Welfare Officers across the state to launch a special campaign aimed at ensuring timely registration and verification of waqf properties.
Through an official communication, district authorities have been instructed to verify information uploaded on the UMEED portal, correct errors, and pay particular attention to cases involving land holdings of more than 50 acres.
District-level camps are also being organised to help trustees collect necessary documents and resolve technical or administrative issues.
Officials believe these camps will help increase the number of approved registrations before the deadline expires.
The registration drive has become one of the largest exercises involving waqf properties in Uttar Pradesh in recent years.
Supporters of the process argue that a verified digital database could help improve record management and reduce disputes in the future.
At the same time, many trustees and local representatives say they need more guidance, especially in cases involving old records, missing documents and properties that have changed management over the years.
With June 5 only days away, officials continue to appeal to trustees and property managers to submit complete documentation without delay and to regularly monitor the status of their applications on the portal.
As employees work extended hours and applicants continue arriving from different districts, the race against time has entered its final stage. Whether all pending issues can be resolved before the deadline remains uncertain, but both the Sunni and Shia Waqf Boards say they are making every effort to ensure that as many properties as possible are successfully registered before June 5.
