New Delhi, 1 December (H.S.): The Supreme Court refused on Monday to extend the December 6 deadline for registering waqf properties on the UMEED portal, directing affected parties to approach waqf tribunals for any relief if technical issues prevent timely compliance. A bench presided over by Justice Dipankar Datta made it clear that tribunals hold the authority under Section 3B to grant extensions on case-by-case merits.
During the hearing, petitioners argued that the six-month registration window had largely elapsed due to an interim order on the Waqf Act, leaving insufficient time for submissions amid server glitches on the portal. Senior advocate Kapil Sibal highlighted the timeline: the amendment took effect on April 8, the portal launched June 6, rules notified July 3, and the interim stay arrived September 15.
He stressed that tracing details for century-old waqf endowments proves challenging, as the portal rejects uploads without complete documentation.Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Centre, countered that a substantial number of waqf properties have already been registered successfully.
Advocate M.R. Shamsad clarified the core issue lay not in registration itself but in digitizing already registered assets—a facet overlooked in the interim order.The court advised all applicants to contact their respective waqf tribunals before the deadline expires, underscoring that tribunals can address individual hardships effectively.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar
