REMAINING ISLAMIC ENDOWMENTS: THE WAKF (AMENDMENT) ACT, 2025 IN CONTEMPORARY INDIA

Abstract

India’s various faiths are permitted to practice and propagate their faith, with the “Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025, also known as the UMEED Act”, is believed to generally represent a landmark shift in the governance of Islamic Charitable endowments in India. “The Act, which is a key religious event in Islam, is generally considered a tool of centralised authority that infringes constitutional liberty”. The legislation aims to enhance transparency, accountability, and inclusivity through measures such as digitisation, registration centralisation, increased board representation, and enhanced governance. On the other hand, it has unleashed extensive discussions over its consequences for religious autonomy and rights. While some of the major issues pertain to the repeal of “Waqf by user”, increased authority for District collectors, and the entry of non-Muslim into management positions of the Waqf Board. This paper attempts to critically analyze the constitutional, social, and cultural bearings of the Act in the context of India’s political and legal path of Waqf governance, through cross-cutting insights from Malaysia, Turkey, and other international models are referenced to evaluate lessons to balance efficiency. ‘The purpose is to establish whether the Act is a real reform or a move towards repression’.

References

1. The Constitution of India, 1950.
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