Key Features of the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025
- Broadened Board Representation
The bill mandates the inclusion of non-Muslim members in both Central and State Waqf Boards, promoting transparency and wider community oversight in waqf governance. - District Collector as Key Authority
Administrative control over waqf property surveys and ownership verification has been shifted to the District Collector. This centralizes the decision-making process at the district level and is aimed at resolving disputes efficiently. - Stricter Criteria for Declaring Waqf
Individuals can now only declare waqf if they are practicing Muslims who have owned the property for at least five years. This aims to prevent misuse of public or disputed lands being declared as waqf arbitrarily. - Removal of ‘Waqf by Use’ Doctrine
The concept that a property could become waqf based solely on long-term religious use (without formal declaration) has been abolished, thereby reinforcing the requirement of legal documentation for waqf claims. - Exclusion of Government Land from Waqf Claims
Government-owned lands can no longer be considered waqf, even if historically used as such. Once verified by the Collector, such lands are to be restored to public ownership in official records. - Overhaul of Tribunal Structure
Waqf Tribunals will now consist of judicial and senior administrative members, but no longer require an expert in Muslim personal law. This is meant to align waqf dispute resolution more closely with general administrative and legal frameworks. - Introduction of Appeal Mechanism
Tribunal decisions are no longer final and binding. Aggrieved parties can now appeal directly to the High Court within a specified timeframe, introducing an added layer of legal recourse.