The Andhra Pradesh government, led by Chandrababu Naidu, has disbanded the state Waqf board that was appointed by the former YSR Congress government.
The move comes in the backdrop of the ongoing uproar against the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024.
Naidu government’s order
The state government stated in an order dated November 30 that the AP State Waqf Board, which was established during the YSRC regime, has been inactive since March 2023.
Three of the eleven members of the Waqf board that was then established were elected, and the remaining eight were nominated.
Notably, a case contesting the procedure used to form the state Waqf Board led the Andhra Pradesh high court to halt the election of the board’s chairperson on November 1, 2023.
The order continued: “The Chief Executive Officer, A.P State Waqf Board, Vijayawada, brought to the Government’s attention the prolonged non-functioning of the Board and the pendency of writ petitions questioning the legality of GOMs No. 47 to resolve the litigations and prevent an administrative vacuum.”
According to the Minorities Welfare Department, the state government revokes the GO date of October 21, 2023, with “immediate effect” after carefully weighing all relevant factors and the High Court’s ruling.
“The coalition government led by Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu is committed to the protection and management of Waqf properties and the welfare of minorities,” stated Minister of Minority Welfare N. Md. Farooq.
“The government is taking steps in this direction,” Farooq was quoted as saying by Telangana Today.
Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024
Notably, in August, the Waqf (Amendment) Bill was presented to the Lok Sabha by the Central government. The Muslim community has taken issue with the bill, which aims to reform the Waqf Act, 1995, a statute governing Waqf boards, to promote greater accountability and transparency in their operations and the mandatory inclusion of women in these committees.
The bill aims to implement comprehensive reforms, including digitization, more stringent audits, transparency, and legal procedures to recover assets that have been unlawfully occupied.
Despite the opposition’s strong objections to the amendment bill, the Center maintains that the act represents a positive move.
On Thursday, the Lok Sabha extended the Joint Parliamentary Committee on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024’s term to the final day of the following year’s budget session. The delay was given so that states and other interested parties could give their opinions on the measure to the JPC.
In an effort to achieve the most complete reform feasible, the JPC has already convened a number of sessions to solicit feedback from state Waqf board members, government representatives, legal experts, and other community members.
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