Summary:
The state government has cancelled former Darul Uloom Deoband vice-chancellor Maulana Ghulam Mohammad Vastanvi from the membership of the Maharashtra State Board of Waqf (MSBW) for alleged irregularities. Maharashtra has over 93,000 acres of waqf land, a large number of which are encroached. Since the agreement was for a period of 99 years and not approved previously by the waqf board, it violated the Waqf Act, 1995, the department charged. The department's notice to Vastanvi had charged him with illegally possessing waqf land for his institution and sought explanation on why he should not be removed from the board. The October 16 order by Shyam Tagade, principal secretary, minority development, makes Vastanvi ineligible for further appointments on the board for being an "encroacher" on waqf land..