Shabbir seeks Umeed portal deadline extension for waqf data

Hyderabad: Advisor to Telangana Government (SC, ST, OBC & Minorities) Mohammed Ali Shabbir on Wednesday urged the Centre to extend the deadline for uploading Telangana’s waqf property details on the Union government’s Umeed portal, scheduled to close on December 5. He sought a one-year extension, or at least six months. This was because thousands of institutions were under pressure due to technical delays, poor communication in villages, and growing anxiety among custodians.

Addressing a press conference in Kamareddy, Shabbir Ali said several mosque committees and custodians did not receive timely instructions on the portal requirements. Messages did not reach many villages and towns. Consequently, it left mosque managements, madrasa committees, and other waqf-linked institutions confused in the final days of the deadline. He said he coordinated with officials from the Waqf Board, the Revenue Department, and municipal bodies to help local mosque committees. In Kamareddy, he arranged three computers and brought Waqf inspectors from Hyderabad and Nizamabad to support the data entry work. “People were anxious because the portal often went down. When the server opened, teams worked continuously. However, there is not enough time to finish the details of all institutions,” he said.

He added that many mosques and madrasas feared their properties would not appear on the portal if the deadline remained unchanged. “People want assurance that their mosques will stay registered. To address this fear, the Union government must grant at least a six-month extension, preferably one year,” he said. He said he had repeatedly taken up the matter with Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy and Telangana’s MPs. He recalled confusion among officials, as different departments suggested different procedures. After several discussions, the chief minister finalised a letter seeking an extension and sent it to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Copies also went to the Ministry of Minority Affairs and MPs. They were requested to raise the issue in Parliament.

Community fears loss of waqf entries if deadline stays

With only two days left before the portal’s closure, several waqf institutions were trying to upload at least basic entries even if supporting documents were incomplete. “Many institutions entered only their mosque name and preliminary details. This ensures the property appears in the first list. They will upload the remaining documents later,” he said. He added that some mosques in his own constituency were still struggling due to short notice and ongoing verification work.

He said historical reasons also slowed the process. Many waqf properties were created decades ago without proper paperwork or formal registration. “Earlier, several mosque committees did not collect or preserve documents from donors, buyers, or local authorities. We cannot correct these gaps in two days. This is why more time is necessary,” he said. He added that India’s constitutional and legal framework allows communities to establish places of worship without excessive procedural hurdles. This freedom, he said, places greater responsibility on institutions to correct old records and ensure accuracy in the national database.

He said Chief Minister Revanth Reddy had highlighted similar concerns in his letter to the Prime Minister. The chief minister said additional time was necessary because the Umeed portal faced repeated technical glitches. Although launched on June 6, the portal continued to suffer interruptions. Furthermore, the list of Telangana mandals became available only on October 6 after repeated requests. Revanth Reddy listed three major challenges: low digital skills among mutawallis, scattered century-old waqf records across archives and revenue offices, and the need to verify each document’s authenticity. He said several sajjada nasheens and mutawallis were still collecting title, survey, and revenue papers. They needed more time to upload them.

Shabbir Ali said the state government and community institutions were doing everything possible within the current timeline. However, he said the process would remain incomplete without additional support from the Union government. He reiterated that the extension was essential to avoid errors, reduce anxiety among custodians, and ensure that every waqf property in Telangana is recorded correctly on the Umeed portal.