KOCHI: The Kerala High Court on Wednesday sought the State government's response to a batch of public interest litigations challenging the constitution of the Kerala State Waqf Board, alleging that it has not been constituted in accordance with the amended Waqf Act, 2025.
A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Soumen Sen and Justice Syam Kumar V M granted the State a week to file its counter-affidavit. The court, however, declined to pass any interim order staying the functioning of the Board.
The petitioners contend that the Board is continuing to function and issue orders despite the alleged defects in its constitution. They argue that the amended law mandates the inclusion of two non-Muslim members, who have not yet been nominated.
One of the PILs, filed by Assembly of Christian Trust Services (ACTS), also challenges the uploading of details of the disputed Munambam land on the Centre's UMEED (Unified Waqf Management, Empowerment, Efficiency and Development) portal. The organisation argues that the entry affects Hindu and Christian residents in the area and that only the mutawalli is authorised under the Act to upload such details.
The ACTS petition further alleges that the Board does not include representatives from the Shia, Bohra and Aghakhani communities as required under the amended law and seeks a direction to the State to reconstitute the Board.
Another PIL, filed by Shone George, seeks the immediate nomination of the two non-Muslim members and a declaration that the present Board is functioning in violation of Section 14(1) of the amended Waqf Act. A separate petition also questions the inclusion of former MLA Kunhammed Kutty Master in the Board.
