The Justice C N Ramachandran Nair Commission, appointed by the Kerala government to find a permanent solution to the dispute between Munambam residents and the Waqf board, is learnt to submit its report to the chief minister next week.
Speaking to a Malayalam news channel, Justice (retired) C N Ramachandran Nair said the government should try to reach a consensus with the Waqf Board and Farooq College. He said eviction of around 610 families from Munambam is not practical.
Advertisement
If the court finds that the land now occupied by the residents in Munambam belongs to waqf Board, the government should intervene immediately. In such a situation, the Kerala government can acquire the disputed land, as there are provisions in the existing Waqf Act that the government can acquire the land for public purposes.
Advertisement
The Kerala government on 27 November,2024 appointed a commission of inquiry headed by former High Court Judge CN Ramachandran Nair to find a” permanent solution” on the dispute between the residents of Munambam and the Waqf Board.
A single bench of Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas on March 17 quashed the appointment of the Ramachandran Nair Commission stating that the state government had no authority to appoint a commission to probe matters already governed by the Waqf Act. However, A division bench of the Kerala High court on April 7 stayed the single bench order quashing the state government order appointing a commission of inquiry headed by former High Court Judge CN Ramachandran Nair.
Around 610 families of Munambam coastal Village in Ernakulam district have been protesting against the claim by the Waqf board on their land.
The Munambam issue started in 2019 with Waqf board staking claim over the land citing that it was Waqf land that was donated to Farook college in Kozhikode.In 2022,they were told they cannot pay land tax on their property.Following this,the Kerala government intervened and allowed them to pay tax.However, the Kerala High Court stayed the government order allowing the families to pay the tax, in a petition moved by the Waqf Samrashana Samithy ( Waqf protection Forum).
Advertisement
