The Kerala Waqf Board says it was “forced” to upload the Munambam dates after the Farook College stall

image for illustration only | Photo credit: The Hindu

The Kerala Waqf Board insists that the refusal of the management committee of Farook College, Kozhikode, the mutawalli (manager) of the Munambam holding and others to upload the property details on the central portal has forced it to release the data as mandated by law.

However, the management committee members defended the decision not to release the data by saying that Munambam was not owned by the Waqf and therefore the information was not uploaded on the portal, adding a new twist to the raging controversy.

The uploading of property details on the Unified Waqf Management, Empowerment, Efficiency and Development (UMEED) portal set up by the Union Ministry of Minority Affairs for registration, real-time verification and monitoring of Waqf properties has landed in a controversy with a section of the church protesting the residents of Munambam and Chief Minister VD Satheesan. Mr Satheesan and the Residents’ Action Council blamed the board for the recent flare-up.

Mr Satheesan, who had earlier claimed to resolve the issue “within 10 minutes” of assuming power, slammed the development as a malicious act by the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government during the end of its tenure to harass the new government. He also alleged that the proceedings of the board, which was appointed by the LDF government, were politically motivated.

Incidentally, there are disputes in various courts, including the Supreme Court, about the nature of the holding after the suo motu registration of the property as Waqf by the Board in 2019, invoking the provisions of the Waqf Act. This led to residents challenging the decision at the Waqf Tribunal.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court stayed the Kerala High Court bench ruling that the Munambam holding was not Waqf property on an appeal filed by the board and an agency promoting the recovery of stolen Waqf holdings. Earlier, the dispute threatened to turn into a social and communal issue in the state with various stakeholders and political parties taking sides.

Plate stand

Council sources said that on 18 October 2025 and 21 November 2025, notices were issued to all mutawallas, including that of Munambam, asking them to upload relevant details as mandated by the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025. Advertisements and press releases were issued asking the mutawallas to comply with the central rule. Training programs were also organized to facilitate data entry.

The board was forced to upload details of around 200 Waqf properties, including Munambam, as its mutawallies failed to follow instructions. Details of litigation pending in various courts regarding Waqf properties, including Munambam, have also been uploaded as required by law, sources said.

Board officials said details of nearly 85% of Waqfs in the state have been provided. Uploading of Waqf data from Thiruvananthapuram to Thrissur has been completed. Details of Waqf in northern districts need to be released, sources said.

In response to the development, Chairman of the Board of Directors KS Hamsa said that the information was published as required by law. The sharing of information on the portal will not have any effect on the state of the business or on the cases pending in the courts. The board met its legal requirements because Farook College did not provide information to the portal, Hamsa said.

Farook College Position

Meanwhile, sources in the governing committee of Farook College defended the decision not to upload the data by saying that the holding was never a Waqf and therefore outside the purview of the law.

The Committee has consistently maintained that the Munambam land is not Waqf and no particulars need be furnished. However, details of the Waqf properties managed by the committee have been uploaded on the portal, a committee member said.

Published – 26 May 2026 14:31 IST