ESTABLISHMENT OF BOARDS AND THEIR FUNCTIONSCentral
Section 14 of The Waqf Act, 1995 in hindi
1[(1) The Board for a State and the National Capital Territory of Delhi shall consist of, not more than eleven members, to be nominated by the State Government,---
- (a)a Chairperson;
- (b)(i) one Member of Parliament from the State or, as the case may be, the National Capital Territory of Delhi;
- (ii)one Member of the State Legislature;
- (c)the following members belonging to Muslim community, namely:---
- (i)one mutawalli of the waqf having an annual income of one lakh rupees and above;
- (ii)one eminent scholar of Islamic theology;
- (iii)two or more elected members from the Municipalities or Panchayats: Provided that in case there is no Muslim member available from any of the categories in sub-clauses (i) to (iii), additional members from category in sub-clause (iii) may be nominated;
- (d)two persons who have professional experience in business management, social work, finance or revenue, agriculture and development activities;
- (e)Joint Secretary to the State Government dealing with the waqf matters, ex officio;
- (f)one Member of the Bar Council of the concerned State or Union territory: Provided that two members of the Board appointed under clause (c) shall be women: Provided further that two of total members of the Board appointed under this sub-section, excluding ex officio members, shall be non-Muslim: Provided also that the Board shall have at least one member each from Shia, Sunni and other backward classes among Muslim Communities: Provided also that one member each from Bohra and Aghakhani communities shall be nominated in the Board in case they have functional auqaf in the State or Union territory: Provided also that the elected members of Board holding office on the commencement of the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025 (14 of 2025) shall continue to hold office as such until the expiry of their term of office.
- (2)No Minister of the Central Government or, as the case may be, a State Government, shall be nominated as a member of the Board.
- (3)In case of a Union territory, the Board shall consist of not less than five and not more than seven members to be nominated by the Central Government under sub-section (1).] 2* * * * * 3[(6) In determining the number of members belonging to Shia, Sunni, Bohra, Aghakhani or other backward classes among Muslim communities, the State Government or, as the case may be, the Central Government in case of a Union territory shall have regard to the number and value of Shia, Sunni, Bohra, Aghakhani and other backward classes among Muslim auqaf to be administered by the Board and appointment of the members shall be made, so far as may be, in accordance with such determination.] 4* * * * * 5* * * * *
- (9)The members of the Board shall be appointed by the State Government by notification in the Official Gazette.
Summary
- A State Board is made up of a maximum of eleven members who are nominated by the State Government.
- The Board must include members of the Muslim community, such as mutawallis, scholars, and local elected officials.
- The law requires that at least two members of the Board must be women.
- There must be two members on the Board who are not Muslim, excluding those who are there because of their specific government job.
- Board members must also include at least one person from the Shia, Sunni, and backward classes of Muslims.
- No person serving as a Minister in the Central or State Government is allowed to be a member of the Board.
Practical examples
1A state is forming its new Waqf Board. Following Section 14 of the 1995 Act, the government selects eleven people, making sure that two of them are women and two are non-Muslim professionals with experience in finance to meet the legal requirements.
2In a Union territory, the Central Government needs to set up a Board. According to Section 14 of the 1995 law, they nominate seven members, including an Islamic scholar and a member of the local Bar Council, ensuring no government ministers are on the list.
FAQ
1. How many members can be on a State Board under Section 14 of the Waqf Act, 1995?
A State Board can have no more than eleven members according to Section 14 of the Waqf Act, 1995.
2. Are women required to be on the Board under Section 14 of the Waqf Act, 1995?
Yes, Section 14 of the Waqf Act, 1995, mandates that at least two members of the Board must be women.
3. Can a non-Muslim be a member of the Board under Section 14 of the Waqf Act, 1995?
Yes, Section 14 of the Waqf Act, 1995, requires that two members of the Board shall be non-Muslims, excluding ex officio members.
Test yourself
Q1.Under Section 14 of The Waqf Act, 1995, what is the maximum number of members for a State Waqf Board?
Q2.According to Section 14 of The Waqf Act, 1995, who is NOT allowed to be nominated as a member of the Board?
Q3.Under Section 14 of The Waqf Act, 1995, how many members of the Board must be non-Muslim?
Q4.For a Union territory, Section 14 of The Waqf Act, 1995, says the Board shall have: