More than 31,000 waqf property cancellations in Uttar Pradesh have been carried out after authorities identified discrepancies and technical irregularities in official records. According to state data, Uttar Pradesh had recorded 118,302 waqf properties on the UMEED portal. Out of these, registrations for 31,328 properties were revoked during verification checks. Officials also rejected waqf claims linked to 31,192 of those properties after inconsistencies emerged in land and ownership documents.
During the scrutiny process, several khasra numbers reportedly did not match records maintained by the Waqf Board. Authorities also found changes in land area details listed in revenue records, prompting further examination of property documentation and ownership data. The move is part of an ongoing scrutiny of Waqf records across the state, where authorities have documented a total of 118,302 Waqf properties.
Officials said the cancellations were initiated after extensive discrepancies emerged during the verification of land and revenue records.
In multiple instances, the Khasra and plot numbers submitted during registration did not correspond with details available in official records maintained by the Waqf Board.
Authorities also detected inconsistencies in the land area mentioned in revenue documents, raising serious concerns over the authenticity and accuracy of several registrations uploaded to the portal.
The Umeed portal—Unified Waqf Management, Empowerment, Efficiency, and Development—was launched by the center to digitize waqf properties, aiming to create a centralized digital inventory of Waqf assets and improve transparency in their management. As per the rules, details of all Waqf properties must be uploaded to the portal within six months of its launch, even as the amended Waqf legislation continues to trigger political and legal controversy.
The supreme court recently extended the six-month deadline for uploading property details on the portal, noting that affected parties could seek relief before Waqf Tribunals.
The Waqf Board is a statutory body in India managing and protecting waqf properties, which include land, buildings, shops, mosques, graveyards, or others. The dedicated waqf property is meant to remain for the chosen purpose only, meaning it cannot be normally sold, inherited, or used like ordinary private property. The term “waqf” in itself refers to a permanent dedication of movable or immovable property for religious, pious, or charitable use.
The Waqf board is a legal entity and can hold property, manage property, and act like a corporate body under the law. It was created under India’s Waqf law; the current legal framework is the Waqf Act 1995.
