Kerala Court Decries Waqf Land Grab

The Kerala High Court has termed the Kerala Waqf Board's efforts to notify Munambam land as waqf property as a 'land grabbing tactic.' The court upheld a government order to appoint an inquiry commission to determine the rightful ownership of the land in question.

A bench consisting of Justices Sushrut Arvind Dharmadhikari and Syam Kumar V M emphasized that the classification of the land as waqf did not adhere to mandatory procedures under the Waqf Act. It noted that the board's notification adversely impacted hundreds of families and questioned the KWB's alleged 70-year delay in making this declaration.

The court's decision reaffirms the government's authority to act on the inquiry commission's recommendations. It criticized the KWB's arbitrary and delayed declaration, asserting that such actions should not gain judicial endorsement and warned of potential misuse of power affecting other properties if left unchecked.

(With inputs from agencies.)