Waqf Board to be reconstituted in Haryana; ex-MLA Zakir Hussain appointed as administrator

The Haryana government has decided to revoke the Waqf board in the state, citing that it has failed to function properly. The Waqf Board has significantly failed to perform its duties, as per the state government and thus they decided to quash the board. Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Rajeev Arora issued the orders on Thursday, appointing former MLA Zakir Hussain as the administrator of the Waqf Board. All the work of the board will be done under his supervision until new members of the board are appointed.

Haryana govt appoints former MLA Zakir Hussain as Waqf board chief

The Punjab and Haryana High Court had recently cancelled the notification of the state government to nominate members of the Waqf Board. Describing the appointment of these members as contrary to the constitution of the Waqf Board, the government was challenged in the court. After the court's order, the state government further entrusted Zakir Hussain as the administrator till the appointment of new members.

The new members of the Waqf Board will be appointed as per fresh rules set by the government. The election of the President shall be held only after the appointment of the new members.The state government has decided to appoint former MLA Zakir Hussain, in response to the order issued by the Punjab and Haryana High Court on August 12. According to the issued circular, all the work of the Waqf Board will be under the supervision of Administrator Zakir Hussain. 

Former BJP MLA Zakir Hussain was associated with Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) in the past. He had joined the BJP during the last assembly elections but lost. The BJP had aslo appointed Zakir Hussain as the National Vice-President of the Minority Morcha.
 

Functions of Waqf Board

The board oversees 12,505 waqf properties within Haryana's jurisdiction. On August 1, 2003, the state government constituted it as a perpetual succession body corporate under section 13 (1) of the Waqf Act, 1995. The state of Haryana was previously one of the constituent units of the Punjab Waqf Board.The headquarter of the Waqf Board is based in the Ambala Cantonment. 

Image: @mlazakirhussain/Facebook