Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju announced on Friday that the Central government will not impose penalties or initiate strict action for delayed registration of Waqf properties on the UMEED portal for the next three months. The relaxation comes even as the formal deadline for registration ends on December 5.
Addressing the media, the Minister said the decision was taken after several Members of Parliament and community representatives requested additional time, citing challenges faced by mutawallis in completing the process. However, Rijiju clarified that while the demands for an extended deadline were communicated to the Supreme Court, the court refused to grant an extension beyond the six-month period already provided under law.
He urged mutawallis, the custodians of Waqf properties, to approach the Waqf Tribunal if they are still unable to complete the process within the grace period. Under the Waqf (Amendment) Act, the Tribunal has the legal authority to grant an extension of up to six additional months beyond the mandatory window.
Rijiju said, “After the Waqf Law was amended, the UMEED portal was launched, and a six-month time period was provided for registering all Waqf properties. Today marks the final day of this period, yet lakhs of properties remain unregistered. Many MPs and community members approached me saying they faced practical challenges in registering nearly nine lakh Waqf properties.”
He added that despite the constraints, progress has been made. “So far, over 1.5 lakh properties have been registered on the UMEED portal.” The Minister also highlighted significant variation in progress across states. Some states showed strong performance, while others struggled.
“Karnataka has done exceptionally well, with nearly 50,000 properties registered so far,” he said. He added that Punjab, Jammu and Kashmir, and a few other states also performed satisfactorily, while several larger states reported delays and technical or administrative hurdles.
Rijiju assured stakeholders that no punitive measures would be applied immediately, stating, “I want to assure all mutawallis that for the next three months, no penalty will be levied and no strict action will be taken against those who complete the registration process on the UMEED portal.
If anyone remains unable to register during this period, I strongly advise them to approach the Tribunal.” He reiterated that the Supreme Court had clearly stated the deadline could not be extended by the government, but the Tribunal retained discretion to grant additional time, based on reasonable circumstances.
While expressing empathy towards those facing difficulties, the Minister underlined the legal boundaries the government must follow. “We always try to provide maximum relief, but certain matters are governed strictly by law. Since Parliament has passed the Waqf Amendment Act, the government cannot unilaterally modify it.”
Rijiju noted that in cases involving incomplete documentation, disputes or procedural challenges, the Tribunal would determine the next course of action. “If any Waqf property has documentation issues or lacks records for genuine reasons, the Tribunal will review and decide.
The government cannot personally intervene in such cases. However, if a property is genuinely Waqf-owned, proper records and validation will eventually be ensured,” he stated. Emphasising the purpose of the registration mandate, the Minister said the law aims to ensure transparency, accountability, and protection of Waqf assets.
“The objective of the new framework is to ensure that Waqf properties are managed efficiently and not misused. These assets should be utilised for welfare activities in the name of Allah, especially for the benefit of economically weaker Muslims, including women, children, orphans, and marginalised communities,” he said.
Earlier, on December 1, the Supreme Court dismissed petitions seeking an extension to the registration window. The Bench of Justices Dipankar Datta and A.G. Masih noted that Section 3B of the amended Waqf Act already provides a legal mechanism for seeking additional time from the Tribunal.
Therefore, the Court said it could not grant a blanket extension. Senior advocates Kapil Sibal, Abhishek Manu Singhvi, M.R. Shamshad, and advocate Nizam Pasha, representing the petitioners, argued that compliance within six months was impractical because though the Amendment came into effect on April 8, the portal became functional only on June 6, and relevant rules were formally notified as late as July 3.