Over 12,000 Waqf Property Registrations Cancelled in Uttar Pradesh; maximum cancellations in these districts
Lucknow: A major revelation has emerged in Uttar Pradesh during the ongoing digitization of Waqf properties. An audit of records for nearly 1 lakh Waqf properties—uploaded on the "Umeed" portal—has resulted in the cancellation of over 12,000 registrations. According to officials, this action was taken primarily due to errors in data entry and incomplete documentation.
Highest number of cancellations in Lucknow
According to sources, the list of cancelled registrations indicates that the highest number of cancellations occurred in Lucknow (1,114), followed by Bijnor (1,003) and Saharanpur (990). Other affected districts include Barabanki (577) and Amroha (85), while relatively fewer cases were reported in Baghpat (60) and Bareilly (17).
Small mosques to large cemeteries affected
A member of the Board stated that the affected properties range from land belonging to small mosques to large cemeteries spanning over 300 acres in certain districts.
According to sources and the audit report, the highest number of cancellations involved cemeteries, followed by mosques. Additionally, Madarsas, Eidgahs, Imambaras, Dargahs, and certain residential and income-generating properties have also been affected.
In this regard, Waqf Board sources informed that the registration process for Waqf institutions on the "Umeed" portal is ongoing, with the final deadline set for June 6, 2026. They added that those whose registrations have been cancelled must now re-upload their details—accompanied by accurate information and adequate documentation—by June 5.
Over 1.26 lakh Waqf institutions in the state
There are over 1,26,000 Waqf institutions in the state under the jurisdiction of the Uttar Pradesh Sunni Waqf Board. This entire process is being conducted through the Central Government's "Umeed" portal, which was launched in June 2025 with the objective of creating digital records of Waqf properties and ensuring transparency in their management. Under the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025—which came into force on April 5—registration on this portal has been made mandatory.
Initially, the uploading speed was slow due to technical glitches; however, following subsequent improvements, a large number of applications were uploaded during the final hours.
It is noteworthy that the initial deadline was December 6, 2025, which was subsequently extended by six months at the directive of the Waqf Tribunal.