Over 12,000 Waqf Properties in Uttar Pradesh Face Registration Rejection Amid Statewide Audit Drive
Lucknow: A sweeping verification exercise of religious and community-owned properties in Uttar Pradesh has led to the rejection of registrations for more than 12,000 Waqf institutions, highlighting gaps in documentation and data accuracy.
As part of a nationwide initiative, Waqf properties are being digitized and registered through the central government’s “Umeed” portal.
The process aims to bring greater transparency and accountability to the management of such assets.
According to the Uttar Pradesh Sunni Central Waqf Board, a large number of applications failed to meet the prescribed standards.
The highest number of rejected registrations came from Lucknow, where around 1,114 institutions did not qualify.
This was followed by Bijnor with 1,003 cases, Saharanpur with 990, and Barabanki with 577.
Smaller numbers were reported from Amroha (85), Baghpat (60), and Bareilly (17).
Officials said that most rejections were due to incorrect information submitted on the portal or the failure to upload essential documents.
Board chairman Zafar Ahmad Farooqui noted that the process of uploading and verifying digital records is still ongoing, with June 6 set as the final deadline.
Institutions whose registrations have been rejected have been given a chance to reapply. They must correct the errors and submit complete documentation by June 5.
The audit has placed particular emphasis on community land holdings. A significant number of rejected cases involved graveyards, followed by mosques. Other properties such as madrasas,
Eidgahs, Imambaras, and dargahs have also come under scrutiny.
At present, approximately 126,000 Waqf institutions are registered under the state board, making this one of the most extensive verification exercises in recent years.
