The crucial deadline for registering waqf properties on the central government's Umeed portal passed at midnight on Saturday, December 6, leaving a significant number of properties across Hyderabad and Telangana unregistered. This includes properties managed by Mutawallis, private individuals, and various trusts.
Last-Minute Rush and Missed Deadline
Saturday witnessed a frantic last-minute effort as Mutawallis and property custodians scrambled to upload details on the Umeed portal. Help desks set up at the Shahi Masjid in Public Gardens and the state Waqf Board office saw a surge of people seeking assistance. Volunteers, including advocates and youth from different professions, worked until the midnight deadline to help with the uploads.
Despite this rush, thousands of waqf properties could not be registered in time. Telangana Waqf Board chairman, Syed Azmathulah Husseini, confirmed the closure of the window. He stated that those who missed the deadline must now approach the Waqf Tribunal for any possible recourse.
Path Forward: The Role of the Waqf Tribunal
According to Chairman Husseini, the amended Waqf Act empowers the Waqf Tribunal to consider extensions. The Tribunal can grant a registration extension of up to six months on a case-by-case basis, depending on the arguments and defence presented by the applicants.
This provision follows a Supreme Court directive. The apex court had earlier refused to halt the portal's operation but directed those seeking more time to apply for extensions before the Tribunal.
Initial Delays and Legal Challenges
The path to registration was not smooth. Sources indicate that delays began early when the central government did not issue clear operational guidelines for a month after the Umeed portal's launch in June.
Subsequently, the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) advised waqf trusts to boycott the registration process. This call was made due to ongoing legal challenges against the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025, with the board fearing that registration might be seen as contempt of court. However, the government later announced a three-month, penalty-free grace period to address technical glitches and the volume of requests, though the AIMPLB had sought a further extension of the final deadline.
Implications and Next Steps
The lapse of the deadline places the onus on individual property managers and trusts to proactively approach the Waqf Tribunal. The Tribunal's discretionary power to grant extensions for up to six months is now the primary avenue for those who failed to register.
The situation underscores the challenges in digitizing and centralizing records of waqf properties, which are significant charitable assets. The coming weeks will reveal how many applications for extension are filed and how the tribunals handle these cases.
