Wakf Board tests poll waters for first time in Telangana, but rot runs deep

Nine candidates submitted their nominations ahead of the much-anticipated elections to the

Telangana State Wakf Board

. The elections will see the first elected board in the state.

Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS)

legislator Mohammed Saleem

, member of legislative council, and Moazzam Khan, member of legislative assembly representing Bahadurpura from Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen, submitted their papers under the Muslim Members of state legislature category. Hyderabad parliamentarian and MIM president Asaduddin Owaisi submitted his nomination under Muslim member of parliament category.

It was the mutawalli and managing committee category which was subject of interest.Syed Akbar Nizamuddin Hussaini, who was reinstated as mutawalli of Dargah Hazrat Shah Khamosh, filed his nomination with a large number of supporters. His nomination was filed in two capacities -mutawalli of Dargah Hazrat Shah Khamosh and secretary of Wakf-e-Kaleemiah. Others who filed their nominations under this category are Mohammed Sharfuddin from Masjid Bi Saheba in Panjagutta, Mohammed Anwar Baig from Masjid-e-Sahifa in Azampura, Wasiullah Quadri from Kishan Bagh and Mahmood Asadullah Siddiqui from Siddiq Gulshan.

Sources said Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen member Z H Javid, who filed his nomination under state bar council category and Asaduddin Owaisi under the MP category, are likely to win. “There is only one from each category. So automatically, they will be a part of the board,“ a source said.

Explaining the polling process of the mutawallimanaging committee electoral college, officials said, “So far four nominations have been filed under this category.This means 228 voters will cast their vote.“

Officials pointed out there is a possibility of candidates withdrawing from the race. “If two of four candidates pull out, then automatically those who remain will be made board members. There will be no contest. This is a possible scenario,“ an official said.

The final display of nominations will be on January 3 after which elections will be conducted on January 10.

For the first time, Telangana State WaKf Board will have two woman members in its ranks.Besides, it will have two members from the state legislature, two members from the mutawallimanaging committee category , one member of parliament, one member from the state bar council, an officer not below the rank of joint secretary and an expert in town planning or finance or revenue, a Shia and a Sunni scholar.

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