Maharashtra Forms Special Bench To Speed Up Waqf Land Dispute Resolutions Across State
Mumbai: The Maharashtra government has decided to establish a special bench to address and fast-track disputes related to Waqf land ownership and alleged encroachments across the state.
The move comes after a review meeting chaired by State Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule regarding a land dispute involving Maharashtra State Board of Waqf (MSBW) records on property owned by tribal farmers in Darebhangi village of Nashik district.
The newly formed special bench will include divisional commissioners from all six regions of Maharashtra — Konkan, Pune, Nashik, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Amravati, and Nagpur. The panel will examine cases, verify records, and ensure that disputes are resolved in a timely and consistent manner.
During the meeting, Bawankule directed officials to thoroughly verify the facts of each case and take legal action wherever required. He said that if Waqf board entries on any land are found to be illegal, they should be removed according to the law and necessary follow-up action should be initiated.
Officials said that similar disputes have been reported from several parts of Maharashtra, prompting the government to create a dedicated mechanism for quicker resolution of such matters.
A Waqf refers to a Muslim religious endowment, generally involving property dedicated for charitable, religious, or community welfare purposes. According to Maharashtra State Board of Waqf data, a significant portion of Waqf properties in the state is currently under dispute or reported to be encroached upon.
The board has identified around 23,566 properties spread across 92,247 acres as facing encroachment issues. The highest number of Waqf properties is reported in the Marathwada region, where thousands of acres of land are involved in ongoing disputes.
Over the years, the Waqf Board has initiated legal proceedings in several cases under Section 54 of the Waqf Act, 1995, which deals with removal of encroachments on Waqf properties. However, progress in resolving these cases has remained slow, with many matters still pending before authorities and tribunals.
The Maharashtra government’s new special bench is aimed at bringing faster decisions, improving transparency, and ensuring that land ownership disputes are handled through proper legal procedures.
News source: Information for this article was gathered from a variety of reliable news outlets.
