Hyderabad: The TS Wakf Board has drafted a legislation Telangana State Wakf Properties (Prohibition of Grabbing and Eviction of Unauthorised Occupants) Act and submitted it to the state government a year ago.
The Act will empower the Board with more powers to protect its properties and evict encroachers. Under the Act, the chief executive officer will have the power to pass orders, which will be binding on the revenue department, state police and other agencies.
The Act also has provisions to arrest and award jail term to violators. It can also order confiscation of properties in certain cases. Though the Chief Minister had promised to introduce the Bill in the Assembly, it has not yet materialised.
There are committees, headed by a mutawalli (caretaker) which work under the Board.
“If the committee violates the mansha-e-wakf (purpose of Wakf), the board can suspend it. However, they manage to obtain the stay order from courts and hold on,” noted Osman Al Hajri, president of the Deccan Wakf Protection Society.
