HYDERABAD: The High Court on Thursday directed the Telangana government and secretary to the minorities welfare department to take a decision within six weeks on constitution of a separate Wakf Board for Shia Muslim community. Justice AV Sesha Sai passed the interim order in a petition by Anjuman-E-Alavi Shia Imamia Ithna Ashari (Akhbari), represented by Moulana Waheduddin Hyder.
The petitioner urged the court to declare as illegal the inaction of the state government to constitute a separate Wakf Board for Shia sect in terms of Section 13 (2) and 13 (2-A) of the Wakf Act, 1995 and also the inaction of respondents to nominate the Shia community Muslims to the board as envisaged under Section 14 of the Wakf Act.
Senior counsel P Venugopal, appearing for the petitioner, submitted that his client had represented to the state government and minority welfare department to constitute a separate Wakf Board for Shias but no decision was taken. As per Wakf Act, it is mandatory for government to constitute separate board for Shias wherever 15 per cent of total Wakf properties in the state belong to Shia community. Of the 33,900 Wakf properties in TS, there are about 11,000 Ashoorkhanas which constitute 33 per cent belonging to Shias, he said.