Waqf Property Registration Deadline Closes; Tribunal Appeals Available
The deadline for uploading details of waqf properties to the minority affairs ministry's UMEED portal concluded Saturday, with no extension planned, according to Union Minister Kiren Rijiju.
Deadline Details
The six-month deadline was mandated by the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025. As of Friday evening, over 4.6 lakh waqf property uploads had been initiated.
No Extension, But a Grace Period
While the deadline will not be extended, the ministry announced a "humanitarian and facilitative" measure:
- No penalties or strict action will be initiated for the next three months.
- This allows those who couldn't register due to genuine reasons to approach the waqf tribunal.
Waqf Tribunal as an Option
Those who missed the deadline can appeal to the waqf tribunal. According to the law, the tribunal can grant an extension of up to six months if satisfied with the reasons for the delay.
Minister's Statement
The ministry issued a statement clarifying Minister Rijiju's remarks:
- The six-month deadline mandated under the Act has ended and cannot be extended due to provisions of the Act and clear directions from the Supreme Court (SC).
- The ministry recognizes the concerns of mutawallis and will not impose penalties or take strict action for the next three months.
Unified Waqf Management Portal (UMEED)
The Centre launched the Unified Waqf Management, Empowerment, Efficiency, and Development (UMEED) central portal on June 6. The purpose of the portal is to create a digital inventory of all waqf properties after geo-tagging them and assigning a unique ID number.
