Panel calls for Waqf Council revamp

With a view to make the functioning of the Central Wakf Council more effective, a parliamentary panel has favoured...

With a view to make the functioning of the Central Wakf Council more effective, a parliamentary panel has favoured appointment of a member of the body as its chairman as against the present practice of the Union Minister in charge of the Wakf heading it.

In its ninth report, the Joint Parliamentary Committee on Wakf headed by Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman K Rahman Khan has also sought a minor revamp of the CWC mooting that an officer of the rank of joint secretary should hold the post of its secretary.

In the wide-ranging report, the committee pointed out that several Wakf properties were being illegally occupied and exploited by unscrupulous builders in connivance with corrupt officials of State Wakf Boards and weak management committees and accused state governments of adopting an indifferent attitude toward Wakf boards.

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“Despite wide powers and major responsibilities given to the state governments, the states have generally failed to monitor the activities of the Boards and have not taken any interest in Wakf administration and remained a silent spectator to the gross violations of the Wakf Administration Act and encroachment of the valuable Wakf properties,” it said.

Noting that several states have not yet constituted Wakf Boards, the committee urged the Central Government to convene a meeting of chief ministers to discuss the “non-cooperative” attitude of the state governments. Significantly, the committee in its report indicated that Wakf Boards were being used for political purposes by certain state governments.

“Politics should be kept away from the Wakf Boards. Wakf Boards deal with the religious and charitable institutions and discharge a very sacred duty,” it said.