SC slams AP govt on sale of huge wakf land

SC slams AP govt on sale of huge wakf land The Supreme Court has pulled up the Andhra Pradesh govt for allowing the managing committee members ("mujavars") of the State Wakf Board to "unauthorisedly" sell huge tracts of wakf land to a private housing society and others. A bench of Justices S B Sinha and L S Panta in its judgement asked the state government to conduct an inquiry into the affairs of the Andhra Pradesh Wakf Board relating to the said transaction effected in Bhavanipuram, Vijaywada, in Krishna district. The apex court quashed the judgements of a trial court and the State High Court which had decreed in favour of the Lakshmi Cooperative Building Society vis-a-vis the transfer of the 35 acres of wakf land belonging to the Wakf Board in the dargah of Hazrat Galib Shaheed. The bench regretted that even though the state government itself had on 25th October, 1986, declared the sale as being contrary to law, it chose to remain silent thereafter for 22 years. Why for 22 years, no inquiry was conducted and why no action had been taken pursuant to the 25th October, 1986 order was a matter of serious concern to all, including the general public, the apex court observed. The apex court passed the observation while upholding the appeal filed by Mohammedia Cooperative Building Society which had challenged the sale of land to the rival society on the ground that "it was vitiated by malafide and largescale irregularities". It was the contention of the petitioner that the sale was affected by the "mujavars" to the rival group despite Mohammedia quoting a higher price for the land. The sale was approved by the trial court and later by the High Court upon which the petitioner approached the apex court.

"Loved reading this piece by SANJAY DIXIT?
Join LAWyersClubIndia's network for daily News Updates, Judgment Summaries, Articles, Forum Threads, Online Law Courses, and MUCH MORE!!"

Join our Telegram group

Join our Whatsapp group