Hyderabad, December 16: Advisor to the Telangana Government Mohammed Ali Shabbir on Tuesday emphasised the need for 100% registration of Waqf properties on the Centre’s Umeed portal, urging proactive efforts to cover all remaining institutions, especially in rural areas where fear and confusion continued to hamper the process.
He was addressing a review meeting on Waqf property registration on the Umeed portal, attended by Minority Welfare Minister Md Azharuddin, Haj Committee Chairman Syed Gulam Afzal Biabani, TMREIS President Faheem Qureshi, and others.
Shabbir Ali said that the Telangana State Waqf Board (TSWB) had already registered nearly 74% of properties on the Umeed portal. However, he expressed concern that a significant number of Ashoorkhanas, mosques, and other Waqf institutions, particularly in villages, were still unregistered due to delays, legal uncertainties, and fear among caretakers that the government might take over their properties.
He highlighted that the initial registration was delayed for four months due to a pending Supreme Court case and apprehensions raised by the All India Muslim Personal Law Board and community leaders.
Shabbir Ali said the Waqf Tribunal, while hearing an original application (OA), granted a three-month extension for the portal, enabling continued registration and verification of Waqf documents. He added that the Tribunal also directed the Government of India to reopen access to the Umeed portal to facilitate further activity.
Union Minister Kiren Rijiju’s statement encouraging states to complete registrations through local courts was also cited as a supportive development. Shabbir Ali mentioned that officials had earlier approached the judiciary for clarity but were advised to wait until the portal reopened. Following discussions, it was agreed that the portal should be reopened for the process to resume.
He stated that while gazette-notified Waqf institutions had already been uploaded to the portal, the new extension would enable the inclusion of many remaining properties that were pending registration.
Shabbir Ali urged the Telangana government and the Waqf Board to launch a fresh, district-wise campaign to reassure mosque committees and dargah caretakers who still feared state intervention. He stressed the need for physical visits by delegations to clarify that the registration process is meant to protect, not threaten, Waqf properties.
He also suggested hiring young IT professionals through reputed agencies to speed up data entry and streamline portal usage, noting that relying solely on older volunteers or community members was slowing progress. With the government having sufficient resources, he said, such outsourcing would ensure timely completion of the registration drive.
Shabbir Ali praised the efforts of Chief Minister Revanth Reddy and Minority Welfare Minister Md Azharuddin, who, he said, were fully committed to ensuring that all remaining Waqf properties are legally documented and safeguarded through the Umeed portal. (eom)