Kerala High Court Petition Challenges Waqf Board’s Upload of Munambam Land Details
A public interest litigation (PIL) has been filed before the Kerala High Court challenging the Kerala State Waqf Board’s decision to upload details of disputed land in Munambam to the Unified Waqf Management, Empowerment, Efficiency and Development (UMEED) portal.
The UMEED portal is a centralised digital platform launched by the Union Ministry of Minority Affairs for the registration, real-time verification, and monitoring of Waqf properties across India. The petition, filed by the Assembly of Christian Services Trust (ACTS), alleges that the Board lacks the authority to file details of the land because it is improperly constituted and lacks adequate representation as mandated by law.
According to the Unified Waqf Management, Empowerment, Efficiency and Development Act, 1995, the Board must consist of 11 members, including two non-Muslims. The petition contends that the current Board does not have such representation and has violated rules by appointing two members with professional experience in business, social work, or other development activities, and one eminent scholar in Muslim theology, without verifying their qualifications.
The petition also expresses concerns that over 600 Latin Catholic Christian and Hindu families face potential displacement, which could lead to disputes. It seeks the dissolution of the current Board and its reconstitution in a lawful manner.
Earlier, controversy had erupted when the Board uploaded the details of the Munambam properties onto the portal. The Board defended its position, stating that it was legally bound to file the details of all registered Waqf properties not uploaded by the Mutawallis concerned.
A separate petition filed by Shone George, a Bharatiya Janata Party leader, alleging that the Board is functioning without the mandatory inclusion of non-Muslim members, is also pending before the High Court.
