New Delhi: Reconstitution of the Delhi Waqf Board, which was dissolved in 2016 over allegations of corruption, is awaiting the L-G’s approval, official sources said, while AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan alleged that it seems lieutenant-general Anil Baijal was not willing to reconstitute the body.
In October 2016, former Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung had dissolved the Delhi Waqf Board after two of its members resigned alleging corruption. Mr Jung had referred the matter to the CBI for a probe into alleged “corruption” and procedural “irregularities” in the functioning of the board chaired by AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan.
“With the election of Himal Akhtar to the Board from Bar Council quota last month, the last hurdle in reconstitution of the body was cleared. Now, the L-G’s approval and notification to the elected and nominated members is awaited,” a government source said.
“A file of members nominated by Delhi government on the Board is lying pending with the LG (Anil Baijal),” the source said.
Mr Khan claimed that the issue was raised by the AAP, including CM Arvi-nd Kejriwal, in the budget session of the Assembly, but nothing happened. “It seems the L-G does not want to reconstitute the board,” he claimed.
The L-G office has not yet responded to the allegations. The elected members of the Board include Amantullah Khan, former parliamentarian Parvez Hashmi, Chaudhary Sharif Ahmad and Himal Akhtar.
Three other members are nominated, including one scholar each from Shia and Sunni sects, a government official said.
In December last year, Mr Baijal had directed the revenue department to probe allegations by BJP's Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Vijender Gupta that the Delhi government was trying to “reconstitute the board in "utter violation” of the Waqf Act.
The board is responsible for management of over 2,000 Waqf properties inc-luding land parcels, residential buildings, shops and graveyards across the national capital and utilisation of revenue generated from these properties for welfare of Muslim community in Delhi.
