Christian Organisation Moves Kerala High Court Challenging Waqf Board's Constitution, Upload Of Munambam Land On UMEED Portal

A public interest litigation (PIL) has been moved by the Assembly of Christian Trust Services (ACTS) before the Kerala High Court challenging the recent filing of the Munambam properties into the UMEED Portal by the State Waqf Board, which it claimed to be "improperly constituted".The UMEED portal (Unified Waqf Management, Empowerment, Efficiency, and Development) is a central government portal, which is set up for the purpose of filing of details of waqf, uploading of list of waqf, registration of new waqf, maintenance of register of waqf and maintenance and submission of accounts of mutawalli of a waqf, etc.As per the PIL, the ACTS is a registered religious charitable trust, which seeks to bring together churches across Kerala to address concerns and safeguards the interests of Christians. It is stated that the organisation has been highly active in social issues, including the Munambam land dispute.The ACTS further challenges the nomination of the presently serving members of the State Waqf Board.The PIL points out that as per Section 3B of the Waqf Act and Rule 9 of the 2025 Rules, it is the sole duty of the Muttawali of a waqf to file details of the waqf and property on the UMEED portal but this was thwarted by the Board in respect of Munambam:"Recently, the Board itself assumed the said duty specifically assigned to the Mutawalli of the waqfs concerned and uploaded the details of properties having a total extent of around 404 acres of coastal land in the Munambam Village of Ernakulam District, where over 600 predominantly Latin Catholic Christian and Hindu families face potential displacement. The Board is a quasi-judicial authority, who is exclusively authorised to adjudicate such disputes and to give an impartial verdict on such matters. Since the properties of Christians and Hindus may involve in such disputes, an improperly constituted Board may not be able to give an impartial decision on such disputes. The legislature only after foreseeing such instances of impartiality, have amended Section 14 of the Act in order to ensure that there is sufficient representation for all such religious denominations in the Board. But, in order to thwart the achievement of very object to which Section 14 of the Act was amended, nominated members to the Board in derogation of the amended provisions of Section 14 of the Act." The ACTS have challenged the government order dated February 4, 2026 whereby the State government had nominated 9 members to be part of the Waqf Board. It has also challenged a later GO dated March 13, in which the State had nominated the chairperson of the Board.According to it, the mandatory statutory requirement of having 2 non-Muslims have not yet been satisfied by the State government. Additionally, it is pointed out that out of the 9 members, none belongs to Shia community or other background classes among Muslims as required as per Section 14(1) of newly amended United Waqf Management, Empowerment, Efficiency and Development Act, 1995.The PIL also disputes the selection of the muttawalli as one made without considering any material as to the annual income of the waqf concerned. Moreover, it is pointed out that one of the members nominated must be an eminent scholar of Islamic theology but the present appointee is made merely because of social status without verifying his scholastic knowledge.The plea further highlights that there is no member from the Bohra and Aghakhani communities as mandated by law. The other nominations are also challenged on various grounds. The organisation has thus sough for a direction to the State government to issue a fresh notification nominating new members to the Board in accordance with law within a timeframe fixed by the Court.As an interim prayer, the ACTS have asked for a direction to suspend the functioning of the Waqf Board till members are duly nominated.This is the second PIL moved before the Kerala High Court alleging that the Board is functioning in violation of the statutory mandates. In another PIL moved by BJP leader Shone George, the Court had sought the State's response.The PIL is moved by Advocate Joseph Joy.Case No: WP(PIL) 135/2026Case Title: Assembly of Christian Trust Services (ACTS) v. Union of India and Ors.

Christian Organisation Moves Kerala High Court Challenging Waqf Board's Constitution, Upload Of Munambam Land On UMEED Portal

K. Salma Jennath

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K. Salma Jennath

Christian Organisation Moves Kerala High Court Challenging Waqf Board's Constitution, Upload Of Munambam Land On UMEED Portal

K. Salma Jennath

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K. Salma Jennath

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