Kerala HC halts major functions of Waqf Board
The Kerala High Court has restricted the State Waqf Board from making major policy or financial decisions until it is reconstituted to comply with the 2025 UMEED Act. The court noted the current board lacks mandatory representation from non-Muslim and Shia communities.
Why it matters
The ruling addresses legal compliance and religious representation in state-managed religious boards, impacting governance and land management.
The Kerala High Court has directed the Kerala State Waqf Board not to exercise any major functions, incur capital expenditure or make policy decisions without express permission from the court. The judicial functions of the board must also be stopped.
The decision comes as the court found that the board has not been constituted according to the mandate of the Unified Waqf Management, Empowerment, Efficiency, and Development Act, 2025.
The Act requires the inclusion of two non-Muslim members and a Shia member on the board. Petitioners contended that at present there are nine members, without the representation of non-Muslim communities and the Shia community. Additionally, one of the petitions challenged the appointment of Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader K.S. Hamsa as the chairperson of the board.
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