Maharashtra to set up special bench to resolve disputes over Waqf land ownership

The special bench will comprise divisional commissioners from all six regions—Konkan, Pune, Nashik, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Amravati, and Nagpur

Mumbai: The Maharashtra government will set up a special bench to examine and expedite the resolution of disputes involving the encroachment of Waqf land across the state, according to officials familiar with the matter.

State revenue minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule issued the directives on Wednesday, following a review meeting of a dispute involving Maharashtra State Board of Waqf (MSBW) entries on land owned by tribal farmers in Darebhangi village in Nashik district. (PTI)

The special bench will comprise divisional commissioners from all six regions—Konkan, Pune, Nashik, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Amravati, and Nagpur.

State revenue minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule issued the directives on Wednesday, following a review meeting of a dispute involving Maharashtra State Board of Waqf (MSBW) entries on land owned by tribal farmers in Darebhangi village in Nashik district.

According to officials who attended the meeting, Bawankule instructed them to verify the facts and ensure the speedy and effective disposal of each case. “If the Waqf board entries are found to be illegal, remove them in accordance with the law and initiate appropriate follow-up action,” the minister said, according to officials.

After noting that similar disputes have surfaced in other parts of Maharashtra as well, Bawankule ordered the formation of a special bench to ensure their timely and uniform resolution, officials said.

A Waqf is a Muslim religious endowment, usually in the form of landed property, made for purposes of charity and community welfare.

According to MSBW figures, around half of the Waqf land in the state is encroached upon, totalling 23,566 properties across 92,247 acres. The extent of encroachment is 60% in Marathwada, where the number of Waqf properties is highest—15,877 properties on 57,133 acres.

Over the years, the board has taken legal action in 1,088 cases filed under Section 54 of the Waqf Act, 1995, which deals with encroachment on Waqf properties. Of these cases, only 21 orders have been executed to remove encroachments on these usurped properties, while 250 cases are under review with the MSBW and the Waqf Tribunal.