Centre’s refusal to extend UMEED deadline leaves mutawallis in a bind: Wakf Board member

Hyderabad (Same Day): The Centre’s decision not to extend the deadline for uploading details of wakf properties on the UMEED portal has placed mutawallis in a difficult position, Telangana State Wakf Board member Maulana Abul Fateh Syed Bandagi Badshah Quadri said on Thursday.

Reacting to Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju’s announcement that no penalty or legal action would be taken for three months against wakf functionaries unable to complete entries on the portal, Mr. Bandagi Badshah said the move offered little real relief. The Minister had earlier ruled out any extension of the deadline and advised wakf functionaries to approach the respective Wakf Tribunals if they required more time, stating that the temporary waiver of penalties was granted on “humanitarian grounds”.

Mr. Bandagi Badshah described the announcement as leaving mutawallis “between the devil and the deep blue sea”, arguing that the Centre’s assurance of non-prosecution lacked legal backing and contradicted recent observations of the Supreme Court, which had asked petitioners to seek relief from the appropriate tribunals. He pointed out that the Wakf Act itself contains provisions relating to penalties in such cases.

He also criticised the Centre for failing to ensure that government departments provided necessary documents to mutawallis, many of whom, he said, had been making repeated visits to offices over the past six months to secure records required for uploading. “While the deadline has not been extended, no effective steps were taken to facilitate access to documents from departments such as the CCLA, State Archives and the Archaeological Survey of India,” he said.

If the Union government was sincere about resolving the issue, Mr. Bandagi Badshah said, it should keep the UMEED portal open for an indefinite period, allowing enrolment with a nominal compounding fee of ₹500 to ₹1,000. Without such a measure, he warned, custodians of wakf properties and institutions would continue to face serious practical difficulties.

Holding both the government and the survey commission responsible for the current situation, he said the survey process in Telangana had been slow and ineffective. According to him, the commission had failed to conduct second and third surveys, while the government had not ensured the timely publication of gazette notifications after surveys, a step crucial for facilitating compliance by wakf functionaries.

He added that Wakf Boards also had a responsibility to upload details of properties under their direct management and of institutions where custodians had not yet been appointed.

While Wakf Tribunals were the legally competent authorities to consider requests for extension of time, Mr. Bandagi Badshah said relief through this route was uncertain due to a large backlog of cases and the absence of full benches. In Telangana, he noted, the post meant for a revenue officer on the tribunal had remained vacant for years, despite statutory provisions for a bench comprising judicial, religious and revenue members.

“In several other States, tribunals have been functioning and delivering judgments. In Telangana, however, the tribunal has virtually been paralysed due to the lack of a full bench,” he said.

In view of these circumstances, Mr. Bandagi Badshah urged the Union government to bring a resolution in Parliament to formally extend the deadline and ensure that the UMEED portal remains live for continuous enrolment, with or without penalties.