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2013 Supreme(Kar) 728

High Court of Karnataka
A.S. BOFANNA, J.
M. Sirajulla khan & Another
Versus
Karnataka State Board of Wakfs
Writ Petition Nos. 31170-31171 of 2013 (GM-WAKF)
Decided On : 14-11-2013

Advocates Appeared:
For the Petitioner:Padmanabha Mahale, Sr. Counsel for Naveed Ahmed, Advocate.
For the Respondent:R1 to R2, S.R. Anuradha, R3 to R6, Mohmood Patel, Advocates.

Headnote:WAKF ACT, 1955 - Section 65(1): [A.S. Bopanna, J] Enrolment of Members -Power of Arbitrator appointed by Wakf Board - Muslim orphanage guided by the Scheme of Management (Constitution of the Orphanage) - Election to Executive Committee - Wakf Board permitting the Administrator to enrol members - Contention that it is against procedure contemplated under Clause 7 of Constitution of Orphanage which regulates the procedure for enrolment of a member - Held, The order would indicate that the Administrator has been appointed only to discharge the duties of the Manager Committee of the Board. Though it states that the Administrator shall act as per the directions issued by the Board from time to time, the power of enrolment of members could not be exercised in such a casual manner by issue of communication as has been presently done. It would have been different issue if the Board on summing direct management had appointed a committee under Section 18 of the Wakf Act for the purpose of delegation of its powers of Management in favour of such Committee, which becomes a mutawalli as held in the case of Masjid-E-Idgah. On the other hand, when only an Administrator is appointed, he cannot enrol members even if he is authorized by the Board. Merely because the direct management of the Wakf had been assumed under Section 65(1) of the Wakf Act, the communication dated 19.06.2013 permitting the Administrator to enrol members to the Muslim Orphanage is not justified. The election was therefore to be conducted as per the existing list of members. However, the validity and correctness of the list relied on by the petitioners shall not be understood to have been certified by this Court. It is for the Administrator to have relied on the appropriate list, the correctness or validity of the same would be open for consideration in the appropriate proceedings, if the election is questioned on the ground of incorrect members list being operated. In that view, it would be open for the Election Officer to declare the results of the elections which was held in terms of the order dated 11.09.2013. Impugned Communication of Wakf Board was quashed. Result of election was directed to be declared and constitute Executive Committee.

Order

1. The petitioners are before this Court assailing the letter dated 19.06.2013 impugned at Annexure-G to the petition. They are also seeking that respondents No 1 and 2 be directed to conduct the election to the institution as per the available list of members as at Annexure-K to the petition.

2. The brief facts are that the petitioners claim to be life members of the Muslim Orphanage which is a Wakf Institution. The said Orphanage is guided by the scheme of management (Constitution of the Orphanage) which is the bye-law for governing its affairs. After the expiry of term of its earlier elected executive committee, the first respondent by the order dated 13.10.2010 invoking Section 65(1) of the Wakf Act, 1995, has assumed direct management of the institution and the affairs were being discharged by the Administrator who had been appointed by the said order. Subsequently, the Administrator was replaced. When elections were to be held to elect the Executive Committee by appointment of an Election Officer as ordered by this Court in W.P.No.3425/2013 and W.P.No.5806/2013 disposed of on 30.05.2013, the issue relating to the membership list that was to be operated for the said election has become the bone of contention.

3. In that regard, the Administrator by his communication dated 11.06.2013 addressed to the first respondent had broached this issue. The first respondent by its reply dated 19.06.2013 impugned at Annexure-G herein has permitted the Administrator to enroll members to the Muslim Orphanage with further instructions in that regard. The petitioners claiming to be aggrieved by the said communication are before this Court assailing such action whereby the Administrator is permitted to enroll the members which according to them is contrary to law and also is against the procedure as contemplated under Clause 7 of the Constitution of the Orphanage which regulates the procedure for enrollment of a member. It is in that regard contended that only the elected Executive Committee can enroll members and it is beyond the competence of an Administrator. Since according to the petitioners the list as at Annexure-K is the membership list which existed earlier to appointment of Administrator, the election should be held in terms of the same is the contention of the petitioners.

4. The private respondents herein who also claim to have interest in the Muslim Orphanage and who desire that the fresh members also be enrolled and the election be held in terms of the membership list that would be drawn thereafter have got themselves impleaded to these petitions. Apart from questioning the locus of the petitioners to challenge the impugned communication, it is contended that the list of members as relied on by the petitioners cannot be considered to be authentic. Though Clause 7 of the Constitution of the Orphanage is referred to, it is contended that since the Orphanage is under the direct management of the first respondent, the powers of the Executive Committee can be exercised by the Board through the Administrator. Respondents No. 3, 4 and 5 and other persons had submitted applications dated 20.07.2013 to the Executive Officer for enrollment as members, but the second respondent has not considered the same, The fourth respondent contends to be a life member but ever since his enrolment as a life member on 10.06.2009, he has not received any notice or intimation of the General Body Meeting. It is averred that the earlier Executive Committee was elected on 23.06.2007 and its term of three years expired on 22.06.2010, as such the vacancy in the management arose on 23.06.2010. Accordingly, the first respondent assumed direct management on 13.10.2010. Since the said order is not under challenge, the petitioners cannot make out any grievance at this juncture. It is only at the stage when the election was to be held after enrollment of members as permitted by the first respondent, the petitioners are before this Court and being ex-executive co



































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