Waqf properties in Uttarakhand brought under RTI

In a significant development, the Waqf properties in Uttarakhand are to be brought under Right To Information (RTI) Act. So far the properties couldn’t be brought under the RTI act as the Waqf board used to claim themselves as an autonomous body and hence could not be brought under RTI.

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That the Waqf properties to be brought under RTI was declared by state information commission while hearing a petition against denial of information by Piran Kaliyar Dargah Management. Piran Kaliyar is a famous Islamic organisation that draws plenty of devotees from the world over. Information Commissioner Yogesh Bhatt said that the Waqf board is the state government’s wing and can’t be kept away from the RTI

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The board has been directed to appoint information commissioners to all it’s properties across the state and prepare a manual for it’s management within six months. It should be recalled that in May this year an order for the appointment of information officers was sent to the board.  Following this directive the Waqf board asked all it’s property management to appoint information officers but this call has fallen into deaf ears.

This order will have an impact on nearly 2,000 properties of the state waqf board worth thousands of crores of rupees.