Waqf Registration Deadline Must Pause Until SC Verdict, Urges Muslim United Front

Vijayawada: President of the Muslim United Front, Andhra Pradesh, Mohammad Kaleem has urged the government to allow Waqf property registration to proceed without enforcing deadlines until the Supreme Court delivers its final ruling on the issue. He noted that Central government directives under the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025 mandate digital registration of all Waqf properties on the UMMEED portal by December 6, 2025.

The deadline, however, is facing resistance in Andhra Pradesh due to practical difficulties and legal uncertainty. Kaleem said the amendment, approved by Parliament on April 3, aims to reform Waqf management through transparency and digital governance by listing thousands of properties online.

The Supreme Court, however, stayed several contentious provisions on September 15, while allowing certain registration-related sections to continue. In Andhra Pradesh, he pointed out that the understaffed Waqf Board is unable to digitise records of thousands of institutions and extensive landholdings.

Technical issues and inadequate resources further hinder progress. Engaging external agencies, he added, would impose an unsustainable financial burden on the board. Kaleem called for coordinated efforts among Waqf boards, stakeholders and legal experts to seek judicial relief for extending the deadline.

He said staff are willing to carry out registration but are under severe operational pressure, and urged that no deadline be enforced until the Supreme Court delivers its final verdict.