In a significant boost to the Centre’s efforts to streamline the management of Waqf assets across the country, the Supreme Court on Monday declined to extend the December 6 deadline for updating details of registered Waqf properties on the Umeed portal.
A bench of Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice Augustine George Masih dismissed petitions that sought more time citing persistent technical glitches on the government portal and difficulties in locating mutawallis (caretakers) responsible for submitting property details. The court, however, remained firm that the statutory framework already provides an adequate remedy for such grievances.
“If one is not able to upload the details on the portal, they can approach the Waqf Tribunal. Let the tribunal decide on a case-to-case basis. We cannot rewrite the Waqf Act,” the bench observed. It added that the judiciary cannot intervene when Parliament has already laid down a specific mechanism to address disputes linked to the registration and verification process.
Background
The Umeed portal was launched by the Union government as part of a nationwide initiative to digitise all Waqf properties—estimated at over 8 lakh parcels of land—under the Waqf Act, 1995. The objective is to curb encroachments, ensure transparency, and prevent misuse of these community assets, many of which have traditionally suffered from poor record-keeping and lack of oversight.
In recent months, Waqf Boards across several states have faced resistance from local caretakers and community groups who argue that the verification process is cumbersome and that the portal suffers from inconsistent functionality. The Centre has maintained that the digitisation drive is critical to ending decades of opacity and alleged irregularities in Waqf property management.
Monday’s order signals the Supreme Court’s unwillingness to delay the digital overhaul and reiterates that statutory tribunals—not the apex court—are the appropriate forums for redressal. With the deadline now standing firm, Waqf Boards and mutawallis will need to expedite data submission or be prepared to contest their challenges before the tribunals in the days ahead.
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