Lok Sabha Question No. 4448 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-08-20
Subject: Safeguards under UMEED
Ministry: MINORITY AFFAIRS
Asked by: Shri Tejasvi Surya

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF MINORITY AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.  4448

TO BE ANSWERED ON 20.08.2025

## SAFEGUARDS UNDER UMEED

## 4448.  SHRI TEJASVI SURYA:

Will the Minister of Minority Affairs be please to State:-

- (a)  the  details  of  safeguards  that  have  been  introduced  under  the  Unified  Waqf  Management, Empowerment, Efficiency and Development Act to prevent arbitrary or unilateral declaration of private or public land as waqf;
- (b) whether the Act mandates a formal enquiry before registering any property as waqf and if so, the details thereof along with the competent authority constituted for such enquiry;
- (c)  the  manner  in  which  the  registration  and  validation  process  under  the  Act  ensures transparency, public disclosure, and protection against unverifiable claims;
- (d) the details of role assigned to District Collectors and revenue officials in verifying waqf land records and preventing encroachments or false claims; and
- (e)  the  manner  in  which  the  UMEED  Central  Portal  has  improved  access  to  waqf-related information, public services and grievance redressal mechanisms?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF MINORITY AFFAIRS

## (SHRI KIREN RIJIJU)

(a)  to  (c)  The  Unified  Waqf  Management,  Empowerment,  Efficiency  and  Development  Act, 1995,  as  amended  by  the  Waqf  (Amendment)  Act,  2025,  provides  following  safeguards  to prevent arbitrary or unilateral declaration of private or public land as waqf and improve measures to enhance transparency, accountability, and lawful management of waqf properties:

- (i) As per Section 3A of the Act, waqf creation requires the individual to be the lawful owner of the property and competent to transfer or dedicate it.
- (ii) A  waqf  deed  is  mandatory  for  registering  new  waqf  properties  as  waqf,  ensuring proper documentation.
- (iii) As  per  Section  36  of  the  Act,  1995,  all  waqf  registration  applications  must  be submitted  on  the  UMEED  Central  Portal-2025.  The  Waqf  Boards  forward  the application  to  the  District  Collector,  who  conducts  an  inquiry  to  verify  the  claim's genuineness and validity of the application and correctness of particulars.
- (iv) Section  40  of  the  Waqf  Act,  1995,  which  previously  allowed  the  Waqf  Board  to unilaterally declare properties as waqf based on collected information has now been omitted under the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025.

(d): The Collector  is  responsible  for  verifying  genuineness  and  accuracy  of  details  of  new waqf registration applications submitted on the UMEED Central Portal-2025and also entrusted with  conducting  surveys  of  waqf  properties  to  prevent  encroachment  and  alienation  of  waqf assets.

(e)        As  per  the  Section  3(ka)  of  the  Act,  the  Ministry  has  launched  the  statutory  UMEED Central  Portal-2025  on  06.06.2025  for  uploading  details  of  existing  waqf  and  the  property dedicated  to  the  waqf,  which  also  automate  entire  lifecycle  of  waqf  properties,  including registration,  verification,  survey  by  the  Collector,  mutation,  annual  account  updates,  audit, leasing  and  monitoring,ensuring  transparency,  efficiency  and  effective  management  and  faster grievance redressal.

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