Akbaruddin Owaisi calls for action on waqf land encroachment issues

All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) floor leader Akbaruddin Owaisi on Friday submitted a representation to Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, underscoring the massive extent of encroachment on Waqf land and suggested remedial measures, including reconciling the Waqf Board’s authenticated property schedules with Section 22-A of the Registration Act. He also urged a “pause” on auction of lands in Raidurg claimed by Islamic seminary Jamia Nizamia.

Stating that the first survey waqf survey had identified 33,929 institutions with 77,538.61 acres, of which 57,423.91 acres were reported under encroachment, Mr Owaisi suggested that the Registration Department reconcile the Waqf property schedules with Section 22-A(1)(c) of the Registration Act, 1908.

“The prohibited property list must be matched with revenue records and municipal planning records. Deletion or alteration should require a reasoned decision by the competent authority, notice to the Board and compliance with court orders,” he wrote.

Other suggestions included completing the second Waqf survey, which was ordered in March 2001 and was stated to have been submitted in 2014. The survey reportedly identified 13,610 additional institutions covering 3,072 acres, with MrOwaisi calling for the complete report to be obtained and the statutory notification process to be completed.

Touching upon land parcels in Raidurg reportedly belonging to the Islamic seminary Jamia Nizamia, he requested a “pause” on further State or Telangana State Industrial Infrastructure Corporation auctions and conveyances, stating that the disputed parcels were in Survey No. 83/83-1 until the claims had “been examined and appropriate court directions obtained”. “The institution’s claim is stated as 510.35 acres; the certified deed and survey schedule must establish whether this denotes decimal acres or acres and guntas,” he stated.

The Jamia Nizamia land issue had earlier snowballed into a controversy, with several people, organisations, and members of political parties, criticising the government for seeking to auction the land and expressing displeasure with the Islamic seminary, alleging that it had not been vocal enough about the issue.