Appeal dismissed — ruling against The Kerala State Waqf Board (Appellant)
In Short
This case involved multiple appeals filed by the Kerala State Waqf Board against decisions made by a Waqf Tribunal in Kozhikode regarding property dispute applications. The tribunal had allowed requests from individuals to send written questions, known as interrogatories, directly to the Waqf Board for answers. The High Court reviewed the matter and dismissed the appeals brought by the Waqf Board, keeping the tribunal's permission intact.
The Parties
Party A: The Kerala State Waqf Board
Party B: M.K. Venu, K.A. Jolly, Watson, Raju, M.S. Naseer Sait, Nagma, Irshad Sait N.M., Ismail Jani, Secretary Farooq College Managing Committee, Princy Joseph, Antony V.L., Sebastian Joseph, Sandhya Philip, Francis K.S., K.K. Jayan, Vidya Jayan, Shehnaaz Bai, Haleema Bai, Abdul Sathar Ismail Sait, Thahzeeb Esmail, and Shazia Iqbal
Advocates & Judges
For Party A: Learned Advocate Mr. Jamsheed Hafiz
For Party B: Learned Advocate Mr. Anas V., Learned Advocate Mr. Kalam Pasha B., Learned Advocate Mr. C.C. Anoop, Learned Advocate Mr. K. Shahzad, Learned Advocate Mr. Hamdan Mansoor K., Learned Advocate Mr. T.U. Sujith Kumar, Learned Advocate Mr. Sarun Rajan, Learned Advocate Ms. Nisha George, Learned Advocate Ms. S. Parvathi, Learned Advocate Mr. George Poonthottam, Learned Advocate Ms. T.K. Sreekala, Learned Advocate Ms. Nikitha Susan Paulson, Learned Advocate Ms. Uthara Asokan, Learned Advocate Ms. Krishnendu S.R., Learned Advocate Ms. Vishakha J., Learned Advocate Ms. Hasna Ashraf T.A., Learned Advocate Mr. Anandu U.R., and Learned Advocate Ms. Lakshmi Sreedhar
Judge(s): Hon'ble Justice Anil K. Narendran, Hon'ble Justice Muralee Krishna S.
What the Case Was About
The background centers on a long-standing property dispute that traces back to an order issued by the Kerala State Waqf Board way back in May 2008 and May 2019. Several individuals challenged those board orders before the Waqf Tribunal in Kozhikode through various applications. During those tribunal proceedings, the applicants asked the tribunal for formal permission to deliver written questions to the Waqf Board to get clear facts out in the open. The tribunal granted them permission to do so. Unhappy with this, the Waqf Board rushed to the High Court of Kerala to challenge the tribunal's decision, arguing that the tribunal should not have allowed those written questions.
Judgment Date
6 October, 2026
The Outcome
The High Court of Kerala dismissed the appeals filed by the Kerala State Waqf Board, upholding the Kozhikode Waqf Tribunal's decision to let the applicants send written questions to the board.
What the Court Looked At
- The court examined multiple appeals filed by the Kerala State Waqf Board challenging the Waqf Tribunal orders from December 2025.
- It considered how the applicants before the tribunal had sought and received leave to deliver written questions under civil procedure rules.
- The court noted that the underlying matters stemmed from older board orders dating back to 2008 and 2019.
- It evaluated the legal provision under Section 83 of the Waqf Act alongside civil rules governing the exchange of written questions between opposing parties in a dispute.
What This Means For You
Getting caught in a multi-year property dispute with a powerful board can feel overwhelming when legal orders drag on for decades. In this case, the ordinary individuals involved used standard legal tools to force the opposing board to answer direct written questions and bring hidden facts to light. If you are facing a confusing property claim or notice from a statutory authority, do not ignore it or assume you cannot challenge their stance. Proper legal coordination and tracking every single procedural step can help you level the playing field. Setback Solutions can help you understand your options and coordinate next steps when you are tangled in complicated property disputes.
You Still Have Options
Dealing with a complicated property dispute or a sudden tribunal decision can make you feel lost, especially when you are wondering "lost my case, what now" or "facing a difficult property order." It is important to know that this is not the end of the road, and you can still look into getting a second opinion or non-judicial guidance. Reach out to Setback Solutions to help understand your options and coordinate the next step. Setback Solutions is NOT a law firm and does NOT give legal advice or guarantee any result — we only offer plain-language help and coordination.