The government of Uttar Pradesh is all set to introduce a bill in state assembly to check encroachments of Waqf properties in the state. The draft of the proposed bill has been prepared and is likely to be tabled in the coming Assembly session, scheduled to start from 16 September.
Earlier, the Samajwadi Party in its election manifesto had promised a special law to clear the Waqf properties from illegal encroachment and returning them to the Waqf Board. It had also promised that the Waqf properties will be kept out of the purview of land acquisition.
A meeting in this regard was called by the Minority Welfare Minister Azam Khan for giving final touch to the draft. “We had decided to keep Waqf properties out of Rent Control Act, but it was not implemented,” said the minister. The minister added that the proposed Waqf Act will yield results provided it is implemented properly and seriously, as there have been heavy encroachments on Waqf properties over the past decade.