Has Andhra Pradesh Govt Abolished State Waqf Board? No, Claim Is Misleading

The AP government's fact-checking wing clarified that a new Waqf Board will soon be constituted in the state.

Fact-Check | The claim of the Andhra Pradesh government striking down the Waqf Board is false.

(Photo: Altered by The Quint)

A claim is doing the rounds on social media platforms stating that the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) led-government in Andhra Pradesh has recently abolished the state Waqf Board.

Who shared it?: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) IT cell head Amit Malviya shared a similar claim on his official X (formerly Twitter) handle. He said, "Andhra Pradesh government strikes down the Waqf Board. There is no provision in the Constitution, which supports the existence of one in a secular India."

An archive of the post can be found here.

(Source: X/Screenshot)

The post had garnered over two lakh views on the platform. More archives of similar claims can be found here, here, and here.

Is this claim true?: No, the claim is misleading. The Andhra Pradesh government had dissolved the existing Waqf Board due to several legal as well as administrative challenges.

• The fact-checking wing of the state government said that a new Waqf board will be constituted soon.

What led us to the truth?: A keyword search directed us to a news report published by The Hindu, which said that the government in Andhra Pradesh dissolved the state Waqf board to promote "good governance, safeguard Waqf properties, and ensure the board operates efficiently."

• It mentioned that the TDP-led government revoked an earlier government order (GO) issued on 21 October 2023. This order had nominated seven members and elected three to the Waqf Board.

• Minister for Minority Welfare for the state, N Mohammed Farooq, said that the coalition government was committed to ensuring the welfare of minorities and protecting properties of the Waqf board.

The report was last updated on 2 December.

(Source: The Hindu/Screenshot)

What did the order say?: Team WebQoof accessed the order issued by the state government on 30 November.

• It said that the High Court had earlier stayed the election of the Chairperson of the state Waqf Board.

• The Chief Executive Officer of the existing board had informed the government about the prolonged non-functioning of the board and about the writ petitions pending against the earlier GO issued on 21 October 2023.

• Giving these points and observations made in the High Court as reasons, the present government in Andhra Pradesh revoked the GO.

The GO carried reasons for the revocation. 

(Source: GOIR/Screenshot)

AP government fact-check wing clarifies: Responding to Malviya's claims, the fact-checking wing of the state government said that the existing board had been non-functional since March 2023.

• The post explained the reasons behind the revocation as "13 writ petitions challenging its validity, the absence of adequate representation from Sunni and Shia scholars, the non-inclusion of former MPs, the appointment of junior advocates without transparent criteria, questions surrounding the eligibility of certain members, and the inability to elect a chairman owing to ongoing litigation."

• It further clarified that a new Waqf Board will be constituted soon in the state.

Conclusion: It is clear that the claim of Andhra Pradesh government striking down the state Waqf Board is misleading.

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