The Central Government has officially announced the "Unified Waqf Management, Empowerment, Efficiency and Development Rules, 2025" on July 3, 2025. These new regulations aim to modernize the administration of Waqf properties by establishing a centralized portal and database, along with regulating registration, audits, and record maintenance.
These rules were notified under Section 108B of the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025, which came into effect on April 8, 2025. This section empowers the Central Government to create rules for the registration, auditing, and efficient management of Waqf assets, including provisions for the welfare of widows, divorced women, and orphans.
A key component of these rules is the creation of a centralized portal and database. The Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Minority Affairs, in charge of the Waqf Division, will oversee this portal. The portal will facilitate real-time monitoring of new Waqf registrations and the filing of Waqf details. It will also include details about properties dedicated to the Waqf, institutional governance, court cases and dispute resolution, financial oversight and resource management, and surveys and development. Each Waqf property and institution will be assigned a unique identification number for tracking and record-keeping across states.
To ensure effective implementation at the state level, each state government will appoint a nodal officer, not below the rank of a Joint Secretary. These officers will establish a Centralized Support Unit in consultation with the Central Government. These units will assist with data uploading, registration, audits, and other related activities of the Waqf Boards.
The rules also address the registration of Mutawallis (managers of Waqf properties). Every Mutawalli is required to register on the portal, ensuring accountability and transparency in their operations. The portal and database will serve several purposes, including filing Waqf details, uploading lists of Auqaf, registering new Waqfs, maintaining registers of Auqaf, and maintaining and submitting Mutawalli accounts. It will also facilitate the publication of audit reports and proceedings.
The Supreme Court has reserved its order on petitions seeking a stay on the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025.
