Call for Public Transparency in Waqf Hearings

Rais Shaikh, a Samajwadi Party MLA, has urged the Maharashtra State Board of Waqf (MSBW) to hold public hearings for Waqf institutions instead of conducting them in the chairman's chamber. Shaikh highlighted that of 27,000 Waqf properties in Maharashtra, 11,000 have been legalized, and the Supreme Court mandates these hearings be transparent.

Rais Shaikh, a Samajwadi Party legislator from Bhiwandi (East), has called on the Maharashtra State Board of Waqf (MSBW) to conduct public hearings for Waqf institutions, advocating for greater transparency. Shaikh addressed the issue in a letter to the MSBW, noting that hearings for 184 Waqf institutions have been taking place inside the chairman's private chamber.

In his communication, Shaikh emphasized that the state of Maharashtra hosts 27,000 Waqf properties, out of which 11,000 have been legally recognized. He referenced a 2022 Supreme Court ruling that obliges the MSBW to hold hearings related to these properties within a six-month timeframe.

Shaikh insisted that the Waqf properties are the rightful concern of the Muslim community, making public hearings essential, rather than confining discussions to the chairman’s office. The Union government authorized the declaration of Waqf properties through the Waqf Act in 1995, leading to the establishment of the Maharashtra Waqf Board in 2002, which validated 11,000 properties by 2004. The Supreme Court reaffirmed this decision but mandated further hearings to verify claims regarding ownership.