Wakf Board claim: Thiruchendurai villagers get temporary exemption for registering title deeds

A major controversy has erupted over a communication that the Chandrasekha Swamy Temple in Thiruchendurai on the southern banks of the Cauvery coming under ownership of the Waqf Board.

Registration of property documents in Thiruchendurai village near here that got obstructed in the wake of ownership claim of entire village by the Tamil Nadu Waqf Board, has been restored temporarily.

According to sources, the Tamil Nadu Waqf Board, a statutory body established under the Waqf Act 1954 that supervises and manages Waqf institutions and properties in the State, sent a communication to a Sub-Registrar in Tiruchi recently, claiming that an entire piece of land measuring about 480 acres in Thiruchendurai village belonged to it and those who want to register a deed for any land in the village should get a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from Waqf Board. As per the communication, the Chandrasekha Swamy Temple in Thiruchendurai on the southern banks of the Cauvery and its lands also comes under ownership of the Waqf Board.

Complying with the communication, the Joint III Sub-Registrar of Tiruchi was said to have asked a person of Mukkikarupur, who reportedly owns a piece of agricultural land in Thiruchendurai village, to get NOC from the Waqf Board when he approached the Sub-Registrar for deed registration recently.

As information spread about the ownership claim of the Waqf Board the residents of the village brought the issue to the District Collector. They also threatened to launch a series of protests against the ownership claim. Citing the possession of documents such as “patta”, “chitta”, “adangal” and encumbrance certificates issued by the Revenue Department for their lands, the villagers of Thiruchendurai questioned the claim of the Waqf Board.

Following this, R. Vaidyanathan, Revenue Divisional Officer, Srirangam, conducted a preliminary inquiry on Wednesday. A peace meeting was also held. Besides, the officials of the Revenue, Registration, police, Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowment (HR&CE), and the affected people of the village participated. A representative of the Waqf Board also took part. It was decided that registration of title deeds pertaining to Thiruchendurai village could be carried out as usual until further orders.

When contacted Collector M. Pradeep Kumar told The Hindu that as per the decision arrived at the peace meeting, there was no need to get NOC from Waqf Board for registering deeds as of now. The people could continue to sell or buy lands in the village.

Mr. Vaidyanathan said that the issue had been taken to the notice of the Inspector General of Registration for a detailed inquiry on the issue to arrive at a permanent solution.