Supreme Court agrees to hear Owaisi's plea seeking extension of time for registration of Waqf properties

Asaduddin Owaisi

The Supreme Court on Monday agreed to list again for hearing a plea of AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi seeking extension of time for the mandatory registration of all Waqf properties, including 'Waqf by user', under the UMEED portal.

The bench earlier listed the plea of the AIMIM leader and others on the issue for consideration on October 28. However, it could not be taken up for the hearing.

On Monday, lawyer Nizam Pasha, appearing for Owaisi, urged a bench comprising Chief Justice of India (CJI) B R Gavai and Justice K Vinod Chandran to hear the matter urgently as it could not be heard on the earlier date.

"We will give a date," the CJI said.

Earlier, the lawyer said the six-month period for the mandatory registration of Waqf was nearing its end.

In an interim order on September 15, the top court put on hold a few key provisions of the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025, including a clause that only those practising Islam for the last five years could create Waqf, but refused to stay the entire law, outlining the presumption of constitutionality in its favour.

It also held the Centre's order to delete the 'Waqf by user' provision in the newly-amended law was prima facie not arbitrary and the argument that Waqf lands would be grabbed by governments held "no water".

'Waqf by user' refers to a practice where a property is recognised as a religious or charitable endowment (waqf) based on its uninterrupted long-term use for such purposes, even if there isn't a formal, written declaration of Waqf by the owner.

Pasha previously urged the court to hear a miscellaneous application seeking an extension of time for registration of Waqf properties.

He said six months' time was given in the amended law for the registration of the waqf properties and "five months went during the judgement, we now only have one month left".

The Centre launched the Unified Waqf Management, Empowerment, Efficiency and Development (UMEED) Act central portal on June 6 to create a digital inventory after geo-tagging all Waqf properties.

According to the mandate of the UMEED portal, details of all registered Waqf properties across India are to be mandatorily uploaded within six months.