The Supreme Court has fixed October 28 for hearing AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi’s plea seeking more time for the mandatory registration of all waqf properties, including waqf-by-user properties, on the Centre’s UMEED portal.
A bench of Chief Justice B.R. Gavai and Justice K. Vinod Chandran took note of submissions by advocate Nizam Pasha, who urged for urgent listing since the six-month statutory deadline for registration is nearing its end. The bench also agreed to consider listing another similar plea for hearing on the same day.
The Centre launched the Unified Waqf Management, Empowerment, Efficiency and Development (UMEED) portal on June 6, 2025. The portal mandates that details of all registered waqf properties across the country must be uploaded within six months, after geo-tagging. The aim is to create a centralised digital inventory to improve transparency and management of waqf assets.
The amended Waqf Act provides a six-month window to complete registration. Pasha told the court that “five months went during the judgment, we now only have one month left,” underscoring the urgency for an extension.
On September 15, the Supreme Court passed an interim order staying some key provisions of the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025. This included the clause restricting the creation of waqf to those practising Islam for at least five years. However, the Court declined to stay the entire law, reiterating the presumption of constitutionality.
The Court also observed that the Centre’s decision to delete the “waqf by user” provision from the amended law was prima facie not arbitrary. It rejected arguments that such deletions would lead to government takeovers of waqf lands, stating that the contention “held no water.”
