“Wakf board claimed 5-star Hotel Marriot in Hyderabad as its property, Telangana High Court quashes petition in the decades-old dispute”, Opindia, April 27, 2024:

“The Telangana State Wakf Board, Hyderabad filed a plea asserting ownership rights over the renowned Hotel Marriot in the city, but the Telangana High Court recently dismissed the appeal, reported LawBeat. A division bench comprised of Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice Anil Kumar Jukanti issued a writ of prohibition against the Wakf Board and noted that “the initiation of the proceeding by the Wakf Board is in excess of jurisdiction.”

Viceroy Hotels, now known as Hotel Marriot, brought a petition challenging the actions of the Andhra Pradesh State Wakf Board. The request raised issues with an addendum notification dated 23rd August 2007 and the start of proceedings under Section 54 of the Wakf Act, 1995 which resulted in a highly contentious legal dispute.

After investigating in accordance with the Wakf Act of 1954, the board on 5th October 1958 through a resolution pronounced that the property in question did not belong to the Wakf. Later claims did, however, surface most notably when Abdul Gafoor filed a civil suit in 1964 seeking Wakf status over the property. The Wakf Board continued to stand by its arguments in the face of legal challenges and judicial orders, including one from the High Court in 1968……”