The UMEED (Unified Waqf Management, Empowerment, Efficiency and Development) Central Portal, a centralized digital platform for managing Waqf properties across India, officially closed its upload window on December 6, 2025. This marks the culmination of a six-month initiative aimed at digitizing Waqf property data nationwide, as per the UMEED Act, 1995, and directives from the Supreme Court.
The Ministry of Minority Affairs reported that over 5 lakh Waqf properties were initiated on the portal during the six-month window. Of these, over 2.16 lakh properties have been approved by designated authorities. Approximately 2.13 lakh properties were submitted and remained in the pipeline for processing at the time of the deadline. During the verification process, 10,869 properties were rejected.
The Ministry of Minority Affairs stated that the upload process gained considerable momentum as the deadline approached. This surge was supported by numerous review meetings, training workshops, and high-level interventions. Dr. Chandra Shekhar Kumar, Secretary of Minority Affairs, conducted over 20 review meetings to monitor progress, encourage timely submissions, and ensure accuracy in uploads. To facilitate the digitization drive, the Ministry of Minority Affairs conducted continuous workshops and training sessions with State and Union Territory Waqf Boards and Minority Departments. A two-day Master Trainer Workshop was also held in Delhi to provide hands-on training for the uploading process. Additionally, technical and administrative teams were stationed across various states, and seven zonal meetings were held nationwide to address coordination challenges. A dedicated helpline was also in operation.
The UMEED portal was launched on June 6, 2025, by Union Minister of Minority Affairs Kiren Rijiju. The portal aims to introduce greater transparency, accountability, and public participation in the administration of Waqf assets across India. It provides for the creation of a digital inventory with geo-tagging of all Waqf properties and an online grievance redressal system.
The All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) had requested a deadline extension, citing technical issues and requesting more time to complete the uploads. SQR Ilyas, spokesperson for AIMPLB, alleged technical glitches and repeated crashing of the portal slowed and sometimes stopped the uploading process. The Supreme Court, however, denied the extension.
Several states faced challenges in uploading data. Uttar Pradesh, with the largest number of Waqf assets (1.4 lakh), had registered approximately 35% of its properties on UMEED by December 4, 2025. Karnataka and Tamil Nadu reported figures of around 10% as of December 2nd and 3rd, respectively. Punjab, which registers Waqf estates rather than individual properties, had registered around 80%. West Bengal, after initial opposition, instructed the posting of information about Waqf properties, managing to register approximately 12% of its 80,480 properties by December 1st.
According to the Waqf (Amendment) Act, failure to post on the portal by the due date may only allow approaching the Waqf tribunal, which might grant an extra period of up to six months only if satisfied with the explanation regarding the delay. The Ministry stated that the completion of the upload phase marks a significant step towards enhancing transparency, efficiency, and unified digital governance of Waqf assets under the UMEED framework.
