With the Waqf Amendment Bill, 2024, reportedly scheduled to be tabled in the Lok Sabha on Monday, the inclusion of thousands of additional waqf properties identified in the second survey will soon be known. While the Telangana government and the Telangana State Waqf Board (TGSWB) are yet to jointly finalise and issue a gazette notification for these properties, officials remain optimistic that they will eventually be included, minor hiccups notwithstanding.
According to sources, the second waqf survey was completed in 2016, and details of 13,400 newly identified waqf properties were forwarded to the Telangana government. However, with the Bill first tabled in the Lok Sabha in August 2024, any further action on the official inclusion of these properties was put on hold.
As per the first waqf survey, there are 33,929 notified waqf properties in Telangana. The official inclusion of the newly identified properties would increase the total to 47,329.
“We had instructions not to take any action regarding the newly identified properties, which are comparatively smaller in size. This meant that no additions, errata notifications, or changes could be made. Moreover, no gazette notification of these properties could be issued. This is why the entire process of inclusion was put on hold,” a senior board official said.
Officials, however, said that they are confident that barring minor issues, these properties are likely to be officially included and notified as waqf once the Bill is passed. They maintained that due process, including collaboration with revenue authorities, was followed.
“We have ensured that signatures of revenue officials have been obtained. We do not foresee any major issues in the inclusion of the 13,400 properties,” the official said, adding that delays in finalising the second survey list were due to disagreements between the previous elected Waqf Board and the government. However, these issues have now been resolved, the official maintained.
Published – February 02, 2025 07:30 pm IST