Authors
Kushel HM is a mechanical engineer-turned-journalist, who loves all things football, tennis and films. He was with the news desk at the Hindustan Times, Mumbai, before joining Newschecker.
Pankaj Menon is a fact-checker based out of Delhi who enjoys ‘digital sleuthing’ and calling out misinformation. He has completed his MA in International Relations from Madras University and has worked with organisations like NDTV, Times Now and Deccan Chronicle online in the past.
Claim
N Chandrababu Naidu-led TDP government in Andhra Pradesh has abolished Waqf board.
Fact
Government dissolved the earlier board owing to multiple issues, set to form a new one.
Several users have taken to X (formerly Twitter) to hail the N Chandrababu Naidu-led TDP government in Andhra Pradesh for purportedly abolishing the Waqf board. Some of the users, including BJP IT cell head Amit Malviya, are also circulating a Times Now report on the Andhra Pradesh government’s “stealth” strike on the Waqf board, where the reporter reiterates that the board has been abolished for now, citing a state order based on a high court ruling while stating that it remains to be seen whether the NDA government will constitute a new panel.
Malviya’s X post has clocked 247.5K view so far, which has gone viral amid the raging debate over the powers of the Waqf board and the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, which seeks to change how Waqf properties are surveyed, managed and disputed — shifting more power to government-appointed officials and reducing the traditional autonomy of the boards.
The archived version of a viral post, stating that BJP-led NDA alliance partners Naidu and Jana Sena chief Pawan Kalyan have done a “surgical strike” on Waqf board, can be seen here, which has amassed 888.9K views so far. We received the claim on our Whatsapp tipline (9999499044), too, requesting us to fact-check it.
Fact Check
Newschecker ran a keyword search for “Andhra Pradesh Waqf”, which led us to multiple news reports, seen here, here and here, stating that the N Chandrababu Naidu-led TDP government in Andhra Pradesh has withdrawn earlier orders issued for the state Waqf board by the previous YSR Congress regime and will constitute a new board soon.
“In an order, the state government said the Waqf board, constituted by the YSR Congress government, had been non-functional since March 2023, and had no representation of scholars from Sunni and Shia communities and former parliamentarians. This was leading to stagnation in Waqf operations,” read an India Today report, dated December 1, 2024.
“The Andhra Pradesh government on Sunday (December 1) clarified that the State Waqf Board was dissolved due to certain concerns and that a new Board will be constituted at the earliest. The coalition government’s clarification came amid reports in a section of the media that the State Waqf Board has been abolished,” read an NDTV report, dated December 1, 2024, adding that the TDP-led coalition government had on Saturday (November 30) issued an order withdrawing an earlier order issued by the previous government of YSR Congress Party constituting the Waqf Board.
“The then government headed by YS Jagan Mohan Reddy issued an order on October 21, 2023, constituting the 11-member board. An MLA and an MLC were among the three elected members. The then government had also nominated eight members including two women. As some individuals had approached the Andhra Pradesh High Court, challenging the nomination of members, the High Court in its order on November 1, 2023, stayed the election of the chairperson of the State Waqf Board,” further read the report.
The report led us to a clarification on X by the fact-check wing of the state government on December 1, 2024, while responding to the viral post by BJP leader Amit Malviya.
“The Andhra Pradesh Waqf Board has remained non-functional since March 2023, leading to a period of administrative stagnation. The withdrawal of G.O. Ms. No. 47 became imperative due to several substantive concerns. These include 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. The GoAP will take appropriate measures to address these defects and constitute a new Waqf Board at the earliest,” read the clarification.
We went through the government order (G.O.MS. No. 75), dated November 11, 2024, issued by the Minority Welfare Department of Andhra Pradesh to withdraw the earlier GO that appointed 11 members to the state Waqf Board in 2023. “After careful consideration of the observations made by the Hon.ble High Court, in its orders dated:01.11.2023 in W.P. Nos.28422, 28479, 28440 & 28467 of 2023, and in the interest of maintaining good governance, protection of Waqf properties, and ensuring the smooth functioning of the Waqf Board, the Government of Andhra Pradesh hereby withdraws the orders issued in G.O.Ms.No.47, Minorities Welfare (IDM-I) Department Dated:21.10.2023 with immediate effect,” read the notification by Kati Harshvardhan, secretary to government, which confirmed that the order was to dissolve the existing Waqf board.
The government order also noted that the CEO of the Andhra Pradesh Waqf had brought to the government’s attention the “prolonged non-functioning of the board and the pendency of writ petitions questioning the legality of G.O.Ms.No.47. to resolve the litigation and prevent an administrative vacuum”.
We then reached out to the Andhra Pradesh Waqf Board, which said the issue has been blown out of proportion while confirming that the latest government order was just to withdraw an earlier GO that led to the constitution of the Waqf board. “They have dissolved the earlier board following many challenges, including the lack of a chairperson,” the board said, adding that a new committee will replace the earlier non-functional one.
Conclusion
A government order dissolving the existing Waqf board to make way for a new one shared with a false claim that the Andhra Pradesh government has permanently abolished the Waqf board in the state.
Result: Partly False
Source
NDTV report, December 1, 2024
X post, FactCheck.AP.Gov.in, December 1, 2024
Government order, November 11, 2024
Conversation with Andhra Pradesh Waqf board official
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Authors
Kushel HM is a mechanical engineer-turned-journalist, who loves all things football, tennis and films. He was with the news desk at the Hindustan Times, Mumbai, before joining Newschecker.
Pankaj Menon is a fact-checker based out of Delhi who enjoys ‘digital sleuthing’ and calling out misinformation. He has completed his MA in International Relations from Madras University and has worked with organisations like NDTV, Times Now and Deccan Chronicle online in the past.
