LUCKNOW, July 10 -- Minister of state for minority welfare, Muslim Waqf and Haj Danish Azad Ansari said that the Uttar Pradesh government would soon reconstitute the State Sunni Central Waqf Board with two non-Muslim members, in line with the provisions of the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025. The reconstituted board would also include members from the Pasmanda community, women and other sections of the Muslim community, as mandated under the amended law, Ansari said while speaking to media persons in Ballia on Wednesday. "As per the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025, the new Waqf Boards will include members from the Pasmanda community, women and other sections of the Muslim community, along with two non-Muslim members," the minister said. Referring to the implementation of the amended law, Ansari said Madhya Pradesh had become the first state to reconstitute its Waqf Board in accordance with the new provisions. "Uttar Pradesh and other states will also follow these provisions, as they are mandatory for all states," he added. The minister said the amendments introduced by the Centre were aimed at bringing greater transparency, accountability and better management of Waqf properties across the country. Meanwhile, All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) executive member Maulana Khalid Rasheed Farangi Mahali criticised the move, stating that Waqf matters are exclusively related to Muslim religious issues. "Waqf is an organisation completely related to the issues of Muslims and their religion. Ninety per cent of all Waqf properties across the country are in the form of mosques, graveyards, madrasas and Imambaras. So, only Muslims have the requisite knowledge to manage and maintain them," he added. The Uttar Pradesh Sunni Central Waqf Board is a permanent statutory body and is not dissolved. However, the tenure of its chairperson and members is five years. The term of the current board ended on March 15, 2026, following which the process for its reconstitution is underway. Madhya Pradesh recently reconstituted its Waqf Board under the amended law, appointing two Hindu members to the panel. The inclusion of two non-Muslim members in Waqf Boards is among the key reforms introduced through the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025, which seeks to improve the management of Waqf properties while ensuring broader representation....