Industrialist Mohammed Yousuff was on Saturday unanimously elected chairman of the state Wakf Board.
Minority Welfare Minister Qamarul Islam told reporters that the election was held at a special meeting of the Board following the resignation of Riyaz Khan.
Prior permission of the Election Commission was also taken to convene the meeting as the code of conduct is in force, he said.
The government had taken several measures to strengthen the Board and it recently gave its nod for framing the Cadre and Recruitment Rules for the Wakf Board.
The Board will start recruitment for 255 posts soon, he said adding the Karnataka Examination Authority (KEA) will be the nodal agency for shortlisting candidates. The Board received `100 lakh from the government to train new recruits on administration and Sharia law among others, the minister said.
On encroachment of Wakf properties across the state, he said the Board had registered hundreds of cases against individuals, government agencies and other organisations for encroaching upon the properties.
“I have written to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to appoint judges for each tribunal in four revenue divisions for speedy disposal of pending cases,” the Minister said.
Newly elected chairman Yousuff said his priority is to protect Wakf properties and improve its revenue collection.