Waqf verification drive triggers concern in Gokak; notices served to 650 landowners

Belagavi: A fresh controversy has erupted in Gokak taluk after more than 650 landowners received notices from the revenue department, seeking property details as part of a Waqf-related verification exercise covering around 2,223 acres.The notices, issued by the office of the Gokak tahsildar, pertain to multiple survey numbers in areas including Maratha Galli, Ambiger Galli in Gokak town, and nearby localities such as Shingalapur, Prabha Nagar, and Takke. Landowners have been told to furnish ownership proof and transaction records from the time of purchase. The move has triggered anxiety among residents, particularly in view of rising land prices in the region. Several landowners have cited "harassment", alleging repeated scrutiny despite past verifications. Confirming the development, Gokak tahsildar Mohan Bhasme said the initiative follows directives from higher authorities after the Karnataka State Board of Auqaf sought verification of properties in specific survey numbers. "Given the large number of properties, with more than 650 landholders, we have sought time to complete verification using historical land records. The process is currently under way," he said. Residents, however, expressed distress over sudden notices. Kempanna Kadakol, a resident of Prabha Nagar, said his family, which had purchased a small plot over a decade ago and built a house, was taken by surprise. "We have no clarity about past records. The notice has caused panic in our family," he said. Villagers from Shingalapur recalled a similar exercise in 2012, following recommendations of the Anwar Manippady Commission, when landowners had to submit documents for verification. "We had already complied then. Repeating the process now feels unnecessary and troubling," they said. Offering a broader context, Shabbirahmed Jamadar, a senior member of the District Waqf Advisory Committee, Chikodi, said the land in question was recorded as Waqf property in 1968. He noted that subsequent legal challenges saw courts, including the high court of Karnataka and the Supreme Court, rule in favour of farmers. Since the top court had also referred the matter to the Waqf Law Committee, it has been pending since 1994. Jamadar said the matter has resurfaced following amendments to the Waqf Act in April 2025 and the launch of the UMEED portal by the Union Minority Affairs Ministry for digitised verification and monitoring of Waqf properties. A request for verification was reportedly raised on the portal by one Hasansab Peerzade of Jalal Bhukhari Trust, which triggered the current issue. Some landowners have questioned the legitimacy of the complaint that triggered the process, alleging misuse of legal provisions and concealment of earlier court rulings. With verification currently under way, officials have sought cooperation, even as residents continue to seek clarity and relief from what they describe as recurring uncertainty over land ownership.