J&K Waqf Board forms district-level panels for takeover of shrines, mosques
The board had on Tuesday sanctioned formation of district-level committees as a first step towards the takeover of the administrative control of notified waqf properties
Jammu and Kashmir Waqf Board has decided to compile a list of properties, including shrines, mosques and khankahs, not under the administrative control of the board, a month after taking over the jurisdiction of local auqaf (management) committees in the union territory.
The board had on Tuesday sanctioned formation of district-level committees as a first step towards the takeover of the administrative control of notified waqf properties. It also mentioned about takeover of properties which are not notified by the waqf, but there are “complaints” by the public over their administration.
“The J&K Waqf Board has a large number of notified properties that have not been administratively controlled till date, and were being managed privately by local committees. However, in view of receipt of a large number of complaints and representations by chairperson…regarding mismanagement and irregularities, it has become imperative to directly administer all such important shrines, jamia masjids, khankahs and other assets to ensure transparency and accountability,” said the order by Ishtiyaq Mohiuddin, executive magistrate, Waqf Board.
The Waqf Board under the chairpersonship of Darakshan Andrabi, who is also BJP’s national executive member, has issued a slew of orders after the Waqf Act, 1995, was extended to the union territory post-2019 constitutional changes.
It has also ordered a ban on priests from collecting offerings from people in major shrines, removed donation boxes and banned felicitation of politicians like turban tying in shrines. The orders have prompted antagonism against the board with people alleging that waqf was being used as a tool by the BJP to control Muslim religious places of J&K.
The latest order, in order to compile the list, gave sanction to the constitution of district-level committees for verification and submission of reports within a period of 21 days.
The terms of reference for the committees are to submit detailed reports of assets, finances and administrative affairs of such properties.
It also mentioned about the takeover of the properties which are not notified by the Waqf Board.
“A separate list of those shrines, mosques and allied properties be also prepared that are not waqf-notified properties, but are to be brought under administrative control on the basis of representations or complaints of general public,” the order said.
On December 17 last year, the Waqf Board had taken over the jurisdiction of local auqaf committees in the UT and warned of action for any kind of interference by local management bodies of waqf religious places.
It said that no association, self-styled local auqaf committee or management has any legal standing under the provisions of the Central Waqf Act. The board notified that all the local waqf or auqaf committees will be deemed as void ab initio throughout J&K.
Officials say there are around 31,000 properties in Jammu and Kashmir which come under J&K Waqf Board and have been geotagged by the authorities. Out of them, only 10% are directly administered by the board, while the rest are graveyards, local mosques and adjoining shops with these mosques which are managed by locals, officials added.