Govt reconstitutes Waqf Board; Amanatullah named as member

NEW DELHI: Twenty months after the Board was dissolved over corruption allegations, the Delhi government reconstituted Delhi Waqf Board (DWB) by appointing its members. AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan, who had resigned from the Board in January, was again elected by the Board, apart from Delhi Bar Council member Himal Akhtar and Chaudhary Shareef Ahmed, Mutawalli.

The nominated members are Amjad Tak, Razia Sultana and Naeem Fatima Kazmi.

It is pertinent to mention that the former Delhi LG Najeeb Jung had dissolved the Waqf Board in October 2016 over allegations of corruption. While the CBI could not get clue of corruption in the Baord. “The Board affiliated Mosque's Imam and thousands of widows are not getting their salary and widow's pensions for last three months. Because the Delhi Wakf Board is completely defunct,” said the Waqf official. According to DWB source, almost 350 old mosques are registered under Delhi Waqf Board, more than 300 mosques Imam get monthly salary from the Board.

The Board members will meet on September 4 to elect Board Chairperson.

The reconstitution of the Waqf Board had become an issue of debate ever since then Lieutenant- Governor Najeeb Jung dissolved it in October 2016 after two of its members resigned after crying corruption in the body.

Jung had referred the matter to the CBI for a probe into the alleged corruption and procedural irregularities in the functioning of the board chaired by Khan.

The board is responsible for the management of over 2,000 Waqf properties, including land parcels, residential buildings, shops and graveyards across the national capital and utilisation of revenue generated from these properties for the welfare of the Muslim community in Delhi.