6.1 lakh Waqf properties across India, most in UP, West Bengal, Karnataka

BENGALURU: As the Supreme court hears a PIL alleging non-enumeration of waqf properties across the country, data accessed by TOI shows that there are more than 6.1 lakh immovable properties owned by various State Waqf Boards (SWBs), more than a quarter of which (1.6 lakh) are in Uttar Pradesh (UP), while nearly 3% of these properties across India have been encroached upon.

According to the data from the national Waqf Management System of India (WAMSI) project, as on January 31, 2020, there are 6,16,732 properties owned by various SWBs.

Of these, UP has 1.5 lakh Sunni and 12,229 Shia Waqf properties, followed by 80,480 in West Bengal and 54,194 in Karnataka. The ministry of minority affairs (MMA) and the Central Waqf Council do not distinguish between