Vikiutq at 19:08, 26 April 2026

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{{Short description|State level statutory body}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2023}}
{{Use Indian English|date=March 2023}}
{{Infobox organization
| name = Delhi Waqf Board
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| image = Zinat-ul-Masjid.jpg
| image_size = 250
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| caption = The [[Zeenat-ul-Masajid]], a [[Sunni Islam|Sunni]] mosque administered by the Waqf Board
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| predecessor = Sunni Majlis Auqaf
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| type = [[Statutory body]]
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| purpose = Management of Islamic ''[[waqf]]''
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| location = [[Delhi]], [[India]]
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| origins = {{ubl|{{nowrap|''Wakf Act 1954'' {{small|(since repealed)}}}}|''Waqf Act 1995''}}
| region_served = [[Delhi NCT]]
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| owner = [[Government of Delhi]]
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| leader_title = Administrator
| leader_name = Shri Ashwani Kumar, IAS
| leader_title2 = [[Chief Executive Officer|CEO]]
| leader_name2 = Shri Azimul Haque, IAS
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| parent_organisation = [[Central Waqf Council]]
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The '''Delhi Waqf Board'''{{efn|Sometimes '''Delhi Wakf Board'''.}} is a [[statutory body]] of the [[Government of Delhi]], initially appointed under the [[Government of India|Indian]] ''Wakf Act 1954''; now the ''Waqf Act 1995''.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Danyal |first1=Kahkashan Y. |title=The Law of Waqf in India |date=2015 |publisher=Regal Publications |location=New Delhi |isbn=9788184844726 |page=60}}</ref> It exercises control over [[Islam]]ic [[mosque]]s, [[dargah]]s, [[mausoleum]]s, [[khankah]]s, [[madrasa]]s, hospitals, and any other Islamic ''[[waqf]]s''. The primary function of the Waqf Board is to ensure its properties and revenue are appropriately managed and used. The Board manages, regulates, and protects the waqf properties by constituting district committees, ''[[Tehsil]]'' committees, and committees for the individual institutions.<ref>{{Cite web |title=EXPLAINED: What is a Waqf board, and what are its governing principles? |url=https://www.timesnownews.com/india/article/explained-what-is-a-waqf-board-and-what-are-its-governing-principles/504789 |access-date=2022-08-02 |website=www.timesnownews.com |language=en}}</ref>

The Delhi Waqf Board is a statutory body corporate with perpetual succession and a [[common seal]]. It has the power to acquire and hold property. In the case that more than fifteen per cent of the total number of waqf property is [[Shia Islam|Shia]] waqf, or the income thereof is more than fifteen per cent, the Act envisages a separate Shia Waqf Board is formed.<ref name="Act">{{Cite web |title=The Waqf Act 1954 |url=http://centralwaqfcouncil.gov.in/content/waqf-act-1954 |access-date=2022-08-02 |work=[[Central Waqf Council]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |author=Gupta, Rajeev |date=26 September 2022 |title=Waqf Act,1995: A Tool given to Waqf Boards to snatch the property of Hindus? |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/blogs/myview/waqf-act1995-a-tool-given-to-waqf-boards-to-snatch-the-property-of-hindus/ |work=[[The Times of India]] |access-date=9 January 2025 }}</ref>

== Overview of waqf ==
{{main|Waqf}}
According to [[Islamic law]]s, the ultimate owner of a waqf property is [[Allah]], not any individual or the government. Any organisation appointed or set up by the government for waqf properties can only manage the waqf, or act as trustee of waqf properties. Once a property is ''waqfed'', it will always remain a waqf property. A wafq is typically an act of charity.

== Board members ==
{{update|section|date=January 2025|reason=It appears that the current Board terms expired in September 2024}}
There are seven members of the present Board:<ref>{{Cite web |title=AAP's Amanatullah Khan Elected As Chairman Of Delhi Waqf Board |url=https://www.ndtv.com/delhi-news/aaps-amanatullah-khan-elected-as-chairman-of-delhi-waqf-board-2327645 |access-date=2022-08-02 |website=NDTV.com}}</ref>
* Mr. [[Amanatullah Khan]] (Chairman)
* Mr. Himal Akhtar (member)
* Mr. Azimul Haque (member)
* Mr. Parvez Hashmi (member)
* Mr. Ch. Shareef Ahmad (member)
* Ms. Naeem Fatima Kazmi (member)

The [[Chief Executive Officer]] of the Board since January 2025, is Azimul Haque.<ref>{{cite news |date=4 January 2025 |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Delhi/l-g-approves-appointment-of-delhi-waqf-board-ceo-slams-aap-for-casual-approach/article69061562.ece |title=L-G approves appointment of Delhi Waqf Board CEO, slams AAP for 'casual' approach |work=[[The Hindu]] |access-date=9 January 2025 }}</ref>

=== Composition and first meeting ===
The members are nominated from different quotas, for e.g. ''mutawalli (caretaker) Quota'', MLA/MP Quota, and [[Bar Council of Delhi|Bar Council]] Quota.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-03-06 |title=8 to be elected unopposed as Sunni Waqf Board members |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/lucknow/8-to-be-elected-unopposed-as-sunni-waqf-board-members-7216554/ |access-date=2022-08-02 |website=The Indian Express |language=en}}</ref> In total there are at least six members. After the appointment of members of a newly constituted Board notified under section 13, the Delhi State Government shall, as soon as may arrange to fix, by giving to the members not less than ten clear days' notice, a date for the first meeting of the Board which shall be for the election of chairman.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ministry of Minority Affairs |publisher=[[Government of India]] |url=https://www.minorityaffairs.gov.in/ |access-date=2022-08-02 |website=www.minorityaffairs.gov.in}}</ref>

== Controversies ==
In an RTI filed by Ajay Bose, in 2022 it was revealed that Delhi Waqf Board received over 100 crores in seven years from Delhi Government as Grant in Aid.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Thapliyal |first=Nupur |date=2022-05-10 |title=High Court Extends Time Given To Delhi Govt For Filing Response Regarding Functioning Of Waqf Board, Release Of Its Grant In Aid |url=https://www.livelaw.in/news-updates/high-court-delhi-govt-waqf-board-grant-in-aid-198684 |access-date=2022-12-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220813025053/https://www.livelaw.in/news-updates/high-court-delhi-govt-waqf-board-grant-in-aid-198684 |archive-date=2022-08-13 |url-status=live |website=www.livelaw.in |language=en}}</ref>

In 2024, former Chairman, Amanatullah Khan, was arrested by the [[Enforcement Directorate]] for financial irregularities and alleged illegal recruitment of staff within the Delhi Waqf Board during his tenure as the chairman between 2018 and 2022.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Paul |first=Rohit |date=18 April 2024 |title=AAP Alleges MLA Amanatullah Khan Arrested By Enforcement Directorate |url=https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/aap-mla-amanatullah-khan-arrested-by-enforcement-directorate-over-alleged-money-laundering-linked-to-delhi-waqf-board-5471925 |work=NDTV |access-date=12 June 2024}}</ref>

=== Dispute over waqf ownership ===
In 2023, a dispute arose regarding 123 properties, some of which are located in the [[Mehrauli Archaeological Park]].<ref>{{cite news |author= |date=21 September 2023 |title=No legitimate Waqf Board properties will be demolished in Mehrauli Archaeological Park: DDA to HC |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/delhi/waqf-board-properties-demolished-mehrauli-archaeological-park-dda-hc-8950512/ |work=Indian Express |access-date=9 January 2025 }}</ref> The properties originate from the time of the [[British Raj]] and the Board's predecessor, the Sunni Majlis Auqaf. The properties were [[Government gazette|gazetted]] as waqf by the Delhi Government in 1970; however, the [[Delhi Development Authority]], and the Land and Development Office of the [[Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs]] contested the gazettal. Following a Union Government review, it was recommended that the properties be retained by the Union Government, and that it establish [[perpetual lease]]s, with [[peppercorn rent]] payable by local [[mutawalli]]s. Following a legal dispute over ownership, initiated by the [[Vishwa Hindu Parishad|Indraprastha Vishwa Hindu Parishad]], the [[Delhi High Court]] issued a [[Stay of proceedings|stay order]] that remained in place until 2011. Following further government enquiries, in 2014 it was decided that the Union Government should hand the 123 properties over as waqf to the Delhi Waqf Board (DWB). The Government removed its claims under legislation. However, on 8 February 2023, the Land and Development Office issued a letter that stated:<ref>{{cite news |author1=Ahmed, Syed Khalique |author2=Beg, Anwarulhaq |date=16 December 2023 |url=https://indiatomorrow.net/2023/12/16/the-truth-about-123-waqf-properties-in-delhi-the-central-government-wants-to-acquire/ |title=The truth about 123 Waqf properties in Delhi the Central government wants to acquire |work=India Tomorrow |access-date=9 January 2025 |format=Includes a list of the 123 contested properties }}</ref>
{{block quote|''“… the DWB has been absolved of all matters pertaining to the 123 properties listed as waqf properties… ”''|Land and Development Office, [[Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs]], February 2023.}}
{{as of|2025|01}}, the dispute over ownership of the properties was ongoing.<ref>{{cite news |author=Salam, Ziya Us |date=21 September 2023 |title=Explained {{!}} What is the tussle between the Central government and the Delhi Waqf Board? |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/explained-what-is-the-tussle-between-the-central-government-and-the-delhi-waqf-board/article67327722.ece |work=[[The Hindu]] |access-date=9 January 2025 }}</ref>

== See also ==
{{stack|{{portal|Islam|India}}}}
* [[Islam in India]]
* [[Central Waqf Council]]

== Notes ==
{{noteslist}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Further reading==
* {{cite book |title=Wakf administration in India: a socio-legal study |author=Rashid, Khalid |publisher=Vikas Pub. |year=1978 |isbn=0-7069-0690-X }}
* {{cite web |url=https://www.shankariasparliament.com/current-affairs/contention-of-waqf-properties |title=Contention of Waqf Properties |work=Shankar IAS Parliament |date=13 October 2023 |access-date=9 January 2025}}
* {{cite web |url=https://www.milligazette.com/news/4-national/10143-list-of-the-123-waqf-properties-to-be-returned-to-delhi-waqf-board/ |title=List of the "123 waqf properties" to be returned to Delhi Waqf Board |work=Milli Gazette |date=20 March 2014 |access-date=9 January 2025 }}

[[Category:Organisations based in Delhi]]
[[Category:Religious organisations based in India]]
[[Category:Islam in Delhi]]
[[Category:Waqf boards]]

Delhi Waqf Board - Revision history

Vikiutq at 19:08, 26 April 2026