The Waqf Board is a statutory body established under the provisions of the Waqf Act, 1995, which is a central legislation governing the administration of Waqf properties in India. A Waqf is a permanent dedication of movable or immovable property by a Muslim for purposes recognized by Muslim law as pious, religious, or charitable, with ownership considered to vest in God. The concept of Waqf has roots in the early Delhi Sultanate, but the formal establishment of a regulatory framework began with the Mussalman Waqf Act, 1923. Post-independence, the Waqf Act, 1954 provided the initial statutory basis, leading to the establishment of State Waqf Boards and the Central Waqf Council (CWC) in 1964 as an advisory body under the Ministry of Minority Affairs.
The current framework is built upon the Waqf Act, 1995, which mandates the establishment of a State Waqf Board in every state to manage, regulate, and protect Waqf properties within its jurisdiction. Key mechanisms include the mandatory registration of all Waqf properties and the appointment of a Mutawalli (manager) for each property. The Act also provides for the constitution of Waqf Tribunals under Section 83 to resolve disputes related to Waqf property, acting in lieu of a civil court. A core principle is that once a property is declared Waqf, it is irrevocable and cannot be sold, gifted, or inherited.
The Waqf Act, 1995, was recently amended by the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025, which also repealed the outdated Mussalman Wakf Act, 1923. The 2025 amendment introduced significant changes, including renaming the principal Act to the Unified Waqf Management, Empowerment, Efficiency, and Development Act, 1995 (UWMEED Act 1995). It removed the concept of "Waqf by user," meaning a property is only recognized as Waqf if there is a valid declaration, and it explicitly ensures that women's inheritance rights cannot be denied in a Waqf-alal-aulad (family Waqf). Furthermore, the amendment increased the Central Government's oversight and mandated the inclusion of at least two Muslim women on the CWC and State Waqf Boards.