Muslim women to be included as Waqf board members
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New Delhi: The Central government has further empowered Muslim women by including them on Waqf boards. The Waqf Amendment Bill, 2025 has the following essential provisions:
Two Muslim women will continue to serve on the State Waqf Boards (Section 14) and the Central Waqf Council (Section 9) to ensure Muslim women's empowerment and participation in waqf management.
Also, the State Waqf Boards will now include one member from the Muslim OBC community, ensuring broader representation (Section 14).
The information has also said that the state government may establish separate Waqf Boards for Aghakhani and Bohra communities, acknowledging their distinct religious needs (Section 13).
It further added that in Waqf Alal Aulad (family waqfs), women’s inheritance rights will be safeguarded.
“A waqif can dedicate property only after ensuring that female heirs receive their rightful share (Section 3A(2),” it said.
Another key provision which has been added is that the registered Waqf by User will continue to be recognised as waqf, except in cases where the property is under dispute or owned by the government (Section 3(r)).
It also said that the Limitation Act will apply to all waqf-related cases from the commencement of this Act, ensuring timely resolution and preventing prolonged litigation (Section 107).
Further, the online registration process will be introduced to automate the entire life cycle of waqf properties through the portal.
“Waqf Boards must upload all waqf property details on a central portal within six months. The Waqf Tribunal may grant extensions on a case-by-case basis,” according to reports.
The reports said that if government property is claimed as waqf, an officer above the rank of Collector, notified by the state government, will conduct an inquiry as per the law. Until the report is submitted, such government properties will not be treated as waqf (Section 3C).
It added that Muslim trusts that function similarly to waqf but are governed by trust laws will be excluded from the Waqf Act, 1995, preventing legal conflicts (Section 2A).
Accordingly, the income from Waqf Alal Aulad can be used to support widows, divorced women, and orphans, if specified by the waqif (Section 3(r)(iv)).
“The finality of tribunal decisions has been removed. Any aggrieved person can now appeal to the High Court within ninety days of the tribunal’s decision,” as per the available information.
To ease the process further, online registration certificates of waqf properties will be issued through the portal.
With inputs from IANS