NEW DELHI: Madhya Pradesh has become the first state in the country to reconstitute its Wakf Board under the Wakf (Amendment) Act, 2025, with the newly formed body including two Hindu members for the first time. The move follows changes introduced under the amended law, which allows non-Muslim members to be part of state Wakf Boards.The Madhya Pradesh government has reorganised the 10-member Wakf Board, with chief minister Mohan Yadav appointing Sanwar Patel as its chairman.The newly constituted board includes Manoj Malpani and Animesh Bhargava as Hindu members, making it the first state-level Wakf Board in the country to include non-Muslim members under the amended Act. A gazette notification notifying the new board was issued on Sunday.“Madhya Pradesh has become the first state in the country to reorganise the Wakf Board under the new Act,” an official told news agency PTI.Exercising its powers under Section 13(1) of the Wakf Act, 1995, as amended in 2025, the state government constituted the board in accordance with the provisions of Section 14 of the Act.The Wakf Board is a statutory body responsible for administering and safeguarding Wakf properties in the state. Its responsibilities include maintaining records of Wakf properties, overseeing their use and income, protecting them from encroachment and ensuring that they are utilised for religious, educational and social welfare purposes.Besides chairman Sanwar Patel, the newly constituted board comprises Najma Heptulla from New Delhi, Atif Aqueel from Bhopal, Faizan Khan from Ujjain, Fatema Choudhary from Indore, Shaista Sultan, Shabana Khan, Manoj Malpani from Indore and Animesh Bhargava from Raghogarh in Guna. The Commissioner of the Backwards Classes and Minority Welfare Department will serve as an ex-officio member.According to the state government, Najma Heptulla, who was appointed under the elected category through a notification issued on April 19, 2023, under Section 14 of the Wakf Act, 1995, as amended in 2013, will continue as a member until April 18, 2028. Her name has therefore been retained in the reconstituted board for the remainder of her tenure, an official spokesperson said.
