New Waqf Board to be constituted soon, says Andhra Pradesh government

Amaravati, Dec  (IANS) The Andhra Pradesh government on Sunday clarified that the State Waqf Board was dissolved due to certain concerns and that a new Board will be constituted at the earliest.

The coalition government’s clarification came amid reports in a section of the media that the State Waqf Board has been abolished.

The Fact Check Wing of the state government posted the clarification on X while reacting to a post by BJP leader Amit Malviya.

“Andhra Pradesh government strikes down the Waqf Board. There is no provision in the Constitution, which supports the existence of one in a secular India,” Malviya posted while reacting to a news channel’s report that the Andhra Pradesh government abolished the Waqf Board.

FactCheck.Ap.Gov.In, the official account of Fact Check Wing, in its post explained the reasons for the Government Order (G.O) issued on Saturday.

“The Andhra Pradesh Waqf Board has remained non-functional since March 2023, leading to a period of administrative stagnation. The withdrawal of G.O. Ms. No. 47 became imperative due to several substantive concerns. These include 13 writ petitions challenging its validity, the absence of adequate representation from Sunni and Shia scholars, the non-inclusion of former MPs, the appointment of junior advocates without transparent criteria, questions surrounding the eligibility of certain members, and the inability to elect a chairman owing to ongoing litigation,” reads the clarification.

“The GoAP will take appropriate measures to address these defects and constitute a new Waqf Board at the earliest,” it added.

The TDP-led coalition government on Saturday issued an order withdrawing an earlier order issued by the previous government of YSR Congress Party constituting the Waqf Board.

The then government headed by Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy issued an order on October 21, 2023, constituting the 11-member Board. A MLA and a MLC were among the three elected members. The then government had also nominated eight members including two women.

As some individuals had approached the Andhra Pradesh High Court, challenging the nomination of members, the High Court in its order on November 1, 2023, stayed the election of the chairperson of the State Waqf Board.

The government’s move to dissolve the Waqf Board came after the Chief Executive Officer of the State Waqf Board brought to its attention the prolonged non-functioning of the Board and the pendency of writ petitions questioning the legality of G.O. Ms. No. 47 dated October 21, 2023, to resolve the litigations and prevent an administrative vacuum.