Muslim body to set up help desks for Waqf property registration

New Delhi: The All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) on Monday decided to set up 'Waqf Help Desks' in every state and major locations to assist with document uploads for the registration of Waqf properties on the government's UMEED portal, PTI reported.

The decision was taken at a meeting of the AIMPLB, under the chairmanship of Maulana Khalid Saifullah Rahmani, and follows "several complaints" about the difficulties in using the portal, from Waqf mutawallis (trustees) and individuals across states, an official statement noted.

"It frequently crashes, and uploading even a single property document takes around 40-45 minutes. The portal also demands numerous documents, and if even one mandatory document is missing, the uploading process halts," it said.

The help desks will be manned by the members of Muslim organisations and other technical professionals. The board said it has also filed an application in the Supreme Court seeking a deadline extension for the online registration. It has also requested that the system be made simpler and more user-friendly. The next hearing on the portal issue is scheduled for October 28, according to the statement.

The AIMPLB legal team also discussed the Supreme Court's interim judgement on the Waqf (Amendment) Act, at this first in-person meeting since the development, its statement said.

The board's legal team member and counsel, M R Shamshad, presented the details of the court's interim order to the executive members.

Several members expressed dissatisfaction, noting that the Supreme Court had, except for one or two points, not provided any significant relief on many key and controversial clauses.