Telangana govt directed to constitute Wakf Board in 3 months

Justice M S Ramachandra Rao of the High Court at Hyderabad on Monday directed the Telangana State government to constitute the Wakf Board within three months.

The judge made the order on a writ petition filed by Mukheed Qureshi, a member of the outgoing Board and also a member of the Bar Council.

In his writ petition filed in March, the petitioner pointed out that the Central government in exercise of power under the Reorganisation Act had directed the bifurcation of the Wakf Board of the erstwhile State. The Telangana government had proceeded with appointment of its Principal Secretary as Special Officer.

The petitioner pointed out that a maximum term of a Special Officer would be for a year and a Special Officer cannot make various decisions as required by the Wakf Board.

It was contended by the government that the decision-making process was on and that the file was placed before the appropriate authority. The judge granted three months time to the government to complete the said action.