Delhi government reconstitutes Waqf Board; AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan named as member

NEW DELHI: The Delhi government on Monday reconstituted the Delhi Waqf Board and AAP MLA and its former chairman Amanatullah Khan is among those named as its members.

Speculations are rife that Khan may make a comeback as the chairman of the board.

The Delhi government's revenue department today issued a notification reconstituting the Board with the approval of Revenue Minister Kailash Gahlot.

Khan, who held the post of chairman for nearly six months, had in September 2016 resigned amid allegations of irregularities.

Last year, Khan, an MLA from Okhla, was elected as the member of the board, but the lieutenant governor's approval for his appointment was awaited.

According to the notification, Khan was appointed as a member of the board. Also, Himal Akhtar, a member of the Delhi State Bar Council, was also appointed as member of the board.

The notification also said Choudhary Shareef Ahmed has also been appointed as an elected member.

Those who have been appointed as nominated members of the Board are Razia Sultana, Naeem Fatima Kazmi and Amjad Tak.

"The members of the Delhi Waqf Board shall meet on September 4 at 5 pm in the conference hall of the office of secretary (revenue)...to elect one member, amongst themselves as the Chairperson of the said Board," notification stated.

The Delhi Waqf Board had been dissolved in 2016 over allegations of corruption.

In October 2016, then Lt Governor Najeeb Jung dissolved the Delhi Waqf Board after two of its members resigned alleging corruption.

In December last year, Lt Governor Anil Baijal had directed the revenue department to probe allegations by Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Vijender Gupta that the Delhi government was trying to 'reconstitute the Board in "utter violation" of the Waqf Act.

The board is responsible for management of over 2,000 Waqf properties including land parcels, residential buildings, shops and graveyards across the national capital and utilisation of revenue generated from these properties for welfare of the Muslim community in Delhi.