The Union Ministry of Minority Affairs has reported a significant surge in registrations on its central digital platform for waqf properties, with uploads for over 4.6 lakh properties initiated just before the statutory deadline. The six-month window for uploading details, as mandated by the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025, officially closed on Saturday, with the government ruling out any formal extension.
Deadline Firm, But a Humanitarian Gesture Follows
Union Minister for Minority Affairs, Kiren Rijiju, made it unequivocally clear that the deadline of Saturday, March 1st, could not be extended. He cited the clear provisions of the Act and specific directions from the Supreme Court. However, in a statement issued on Friday, the ministry announced a facilitative measure. For the next three months, no penalties or strict action will be initiated against those who missed the deadline.
This step is described as a "humanitarian and facilitative" gesture aimed at mutawallis (property managers) who, due to genuine reasons, were unable to complete the registration process on the UMEED portal by the cutoff. The portal, officially named the Unified Waqf Management, Empowerment, Efficiency, and Development portal, was launched by the Centre on June 6 last year.
The Path Forward for Pending Registrations
For those left out, the ministry has outlined the legal recourse. Mutawallis who could not register before the midnight deadline on Saturday must now approach their respective waqf tribunal. The tribunal holds the legal authority to grant an extension of up to six months, but only if it is satisfied with the reasons presented for the delay.
"The minister has repeatedly emphasised that any change in the legally mandated timeline is not possible, as it is bound by the law passed by Parliament and upheld by SC," the ministry's statement clarified. The core objective of the entire exercise is to create a comprehensive, geo-tagged digital inventory of all waqf properties across India, with each property being assigned a unique ID number.
Key Facts and Implications
The scale of the uploads—over 4.6 lakh—indicates a major digital push for the management of waqf assets. The UMEED portal is envisioned as a transformative tool for bringing transparency and efficiency to the administration of these properties. While the law remains strict on the deadline, the three-month grace period without penalties provides a crucial window for laggards to regularise their status through the tribunal system.
The successful upload of data for hundreds of thousands of properties marks a foundational step in the government's plan to streamline and empower the management of waqf estates for community development.
