Central govt panel to take call on 123 wakf properties in Delhi

The previous Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government had de-notified the properties two months before its tenure ended in March 2014 and handed over their ownership rights to the Delhi Wakf Board.

The Centre has constituted a fresh two-member panel to decide the ownership of 123 prime wakf properties in Delhi, three government officials aware of the development said.

Many of the wakf properties are located in prime locations such as Connaught Place, Janpath, Ashoka Road and are estimated to be worth crores.(Picture for representation)

The previous Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government had de-notified the properties two months before its tenure ended in March 2014 and handed over their ownership rights to the Delhi Wakf Board.

The Union housing and urban affairs ministry had in 2016 set up a one-member panel under retired judicial officer JR Aryan to decide the fate of the 123 wakf properties. The panel’s report, submitted last year, was rejected by the ministry on the ground that it was “inconclusive”.

“The new committee comprising Ravinder Kaur, a retired Delhi district and sessions judge and Usha Raman Tripathi, retired IAS officer, was formed on August 9 and has been given six months to submit its report,” said an official.

Before the de-notification, ownership rights of 61 of the 123 properties vested with the Union housing and urban affairs ministry while that of the rest were with the Delhi Development Authority. Many of these properties are located in prime locations such as Connaught Place, Janpath, Ashoka Road and are estimated to be worth crores.

The new panel’s mandate includes hearing all stakeholders/affected parties and to record their statements. “They will examine the statements and submit a report along with recommendations. Besides they will have to go through the report of the Aryan committee and give clear and concrete recommendations,” another official said.

Wakf is defined as a permanent dedication of movable or immovable properties given for religious or charitable purpose as per the Muslim law. The revenue from wakf properties is used for community welfare but government officials say individuals and organisations have been using them for commercial purposes.

The Aryan panel had recommended that the Delhi government-appointed wakf commissioner should take a final call on the ownership rights.

The ministry had rejected the recommendation saying it failed to give a specific direction regarding cases wherein there was evidence that the wakf properties had ceased to exist or were being used for commercial purposes.

The recommendation was seen as a setback for the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), which had challenged the de-notification in the Delhi high court in 2014. The VHP had accused the government of showing “undue favour” to the Muslim community by gifting them 123 prime properties.

The court had ordered status quo while disposing of the petition leaving the Centre to take “an appropriate decision” after hearing all the stakeholders, particularly the Delhi Wakf Board.