S.R.Anwar v. the Chief Executive Officer
Case brief
What is this about?
Certiorari under Article 226 against Waqf Board hand-over direction; Wakf Act 1995 Section 65 direct management and Section 67 committee tenure; scheme decree O.S. No. 36 of 1941 (decree dated 01/07/1969), Clause 1(iv) caretaker committee; expiry of elected term and extensions — not a case of supersession; doctrine of necessity election pending scheme amendment; 150-member governing body from 19 Salem masjids; Advocate Commissioner election timetable; hand over charge to Superintendent of Wakfs on 09/02/2026; prohibition on indirect supersession; CEO supervision of wakf administration; Jamiya Masjid Salem G.S.No.227.
What did the court decide?
Certiorari not granted; writ petition disposed of with directions: petitioner/committee to hand over charge to the Superintendent of Wakfs, Salem on 09/02/2026 at 10.00 a.m. (SP, Salem to afford protection if resisted); detailed election timetable under directions (A)–(T) culminating in entrustment of management to the newly elected bodies by 05/06/2026, with the same Advocate Commissioner continuing; no other committee to be appointed (indirect supersession barred); CEO-supervised administration; enquiry to proceed when the Wakf Board is functional; scheme amendment to be pursued before the Wakf Board as scheme court; no costs; connected miscellaneous petitions closed. By the subsequent order dated 27.03.2026 the petition stood closed with liberty to seek modification of specific clauses by a formal application.