- विज्ञापन -
Amaravati: The Andhra Pradesh government has clarified that the State Waqf Board was dissolved due to specific concerns and that a new Board will be established as soon as possible.
This announcement follows media reports suggesting that the State Waqf Board had been abolished. The coalition government’s statement came in response to a post by BJP leader Amit Malviya, who claimed the Board’s dissolution was unconstitutional in a secular India.
The Fact Check Wing of the state government shared the clarification on X, detailing the reasons behind the recently issued Government Order (G.O). They stated that the Andhra Pradesh Waqf Board has been non-functional since March 2023, resulting in administrative stagnation. The withdrawal of G.O. Ms. No. 47 was necessary due to various substantial issues, including 13 writ petitions challenging its legitimacy, inadequate representation from Sunni and Shia scholars, the lack of former MPs, the appointment of junior advocates without clear criteria, questions over the eligibility of certain members, and the failure to elect a chairman due to ongoing litigation.
The government emphasized that it will take necessary steps to rectify these issues and quickly form a new Waqf Board.
On Saturday, the TDP-led coalition government issued an order reversing a previous order from the YSR Congress Party that established the Waqf Board. The earlier government, led by Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, had constituted an 11-member Board on October 21, 2023, which included three elected members (an MLA and an MLC) and eight nominated members, including two women.
The dissolution of the Board followed concerns from the Chief Executive Officer about its prolonged inactivity and pending legal challenges regarding the legitimacy of G.O. Ms. No. 47, prompting the government to act to prevent administrative gaps.
