New Delhi: The Centre has notified the Unified Waqf Management, Empowerment, Efficiency and Development Rules, 2025, regarding multiple aspects of the newly amended legislation, including the portal and database of the properties, audit and maintenance of accounts.
This will set in motion the process for uploading and updating Waqf properties on the portal. The Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Minority Affairs will monitor the operational control of the portal and database.
The portal and database will auto-generate a unique identification number for each Waqf property on record. It will be used for all future references and to ensure tracking and monitoring of the properties, reported a leading law portal.
According to the notified rules, mutawallis will be entrusted to enrol it on the portal and database by using their mobile number and e-mail address. In case there is a complaint of wrongful declaration of any property as Waqf, the probe has to be completed by the designated government officer within a year of the reference from the District Collector.
Notably, the Union Minority Affairs ministry sent the drafted rules to the Union Law Ministry recently, to operationalise the controversial Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025. This is likely to be presented in the upcoming Monsoon session of Parliament, beginning July 21.
The Waqf (Amendment) Act, which aims to bring sweeping changes in the regulation and management of Waqf properties, was passed by Parliament in April. Following a raft of petitions against controversial provisions of the law, the Supreme Court had reserved its judgment.
After the notification of Central rules, the next step is the formulation of model rules for the state. A committee comprising retired law ministry officers and other experts will be roped in to create model rules, which states can then adapt, with some modifications.
For uploading details of Waqf and properties, maintenance of accounts, state governments will have to appoint a Joint Secretary rank officer in the respective states, as the nodal officer who will work in tandem with the centralised support unit.
(IANS)
