IQNA

Mosques, Graveyards May Lose Official Status As UP Cancels 12,000+ Waqf Registrations

11:42 - April 26, 2026
News ID: 3497233
IQNA – In a move that is likely to reignite debate over religious land rights in India’s most populous state, authorities in Uttar Pradesh have annulled the registration of over 12,000 waqf properties—ranging from mosques to burial grounds—following an audit linked to a digitization project.

Uttar Pradesh Sunni Waqf Board

 

The action is linked to records uploaded on the UMID portal, where nearly one lakh waqf properties were reviewed. Authorities said most cancellations were due to data entry errors and incomplete documentation.

According to sources, Lucknow recorded the highest number of cancellations at 1,114, followed by Bijnor (1,003) and Saharanpur (990). Other affected districts include Barabanki (577) and Amroha (85), while relatively fewer cases were reported from Baghpat and Bareilly.

A member associated with the waqf board said the affected properties range from small plots attached to mosques to large graveyards, with some spanning over 300 acres in certain districts.

The audit report indicates that graveyards account for the largest share of cancellations, followed by mosques. Other affected properties include madrasas, eidgahs, imambaras, dargahs, as well as some residential and commercial units.

Officials from the Uttar Pradesh Sunni Waqf Board said the registration process on the portal is still underway, with the final deadline set for June 6, 2026.

Properties whose registrations have been cancelled have been given time until June 5 to submit corrected information along with complete documentation and re-upload their records.

The state has more than 1.26 lakh waqf institutions under the board’s jurisdiction. The digitization exercise is part of a broader effort to streamline records and improve the management of waqf properties. 

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The process is being carried out under the Waqf Amendment Act, 2025, which made registration on the portal mandatory from April 2025. The original deadline of December 2025 was later extended following directions from the tribunal. 

While officials have described the move as an administrative correction, the scale of cancellations has raised concerns, as many community properties must now complete the process again within a limited timeframe.

 

Source: clarionindia.net

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