The Telangana Government has repatriated Md. Asadullah, Additional Collector and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Telangana Waqf Board, is to report to his parent department in compliance with recent directions from the High Court amid prolonged legal battles.
In the latest development, according to G.O. Rt No.67 issued by the Minorities Welfare (Estt-I) Department, the High Court, while hearing W.P.No.22692 of 2025 and a connected contempt case, issued interim orders on August 5 and August 7 directing the immediate removal of Md. Asadullah from the post of the CEO once again.
Md. Asadullah, a Special Grade Deputy Collector, with a lot of political patronage from prominent Congressmen, was initially deputed to the Telangana Waqf Board in August 2024 through orders from the Revenue and General Administration Departments. It may be recalled that in September 2024, he assumed charge as the CEO on a one-year deputation under Foreign Service terms. After his promotion to the rank of Additional Collector in June 2025, he continued as full-time CEO of the Waqf Board, and he was also holding additional responsibilities as Director, Telangana Urdu Academy, and Survey Commissioner (In-charge), Survey Commissioner of Waqfs, Hyderabad.
The latest G.O., a copy of which is with BeyondHeadlines, states that he will be relieved from all these posts with immediate effect. This legally induced development comes amid ongoing critical administrative and legal disputes with political overtones within the Telangana Waqf Board, with the High Court closely monitoring compliance with its orders after the contempt issue. It is significant to note that there is a pro-Asadullah lobby and an anti-Asadullah lobby. Some people opine that Asadullah is doing his job and standing up to the land encroachers and unsettling some of the caretakers of Dargahs by trying to overturn or stop the alleged unjust decisions taken in the Waqf Board meetings in the interest of Waqf protection. The caretakers and the political appointees see Asadullah as a stumbling block to their vested interests. The politicians consider the bureaucracy as their subordinates, which leads to ego clashes all the time.
There are many civil servants who are aspiring to join the Waqf Board as the new CEO but the eligibility criteria set by the court seem to have acted as a dampener for some aspirants who are left dejected with the latest development. Only the civil servants can explain the lure to come to Waqf Board as CEO on deputation. Officers of Joint Secretary Rank are eligible to be the CEO of the Waqf Board. Former Dy. CEO of Waqf Board, Dr. M Safiullah, aspired to return as CEO this time. Being in the Deputy Secretary rank, Safiullah is out of the race for now. It is only in mid-2026 or 2027, Safiullah may be promoted to the Joint Secretary rank according to departmental seniority. Safiullah did not comment on Asadullah’s repatriation to his parent department. It is significant to mention that Safiullah was the blue-eyed boy of former Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR).
Asaduddin Owaisi’s ‘RSS Tillu’ Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy has neglected the interests of Muslims and the Waqf Board after an alleged understanding with BJP’s Hindutva rabid leader Narendra Modi. There is not a single Muslim Minister in the Revanth cabinet after the Hindutva elements in Congress allegedly sabotaged the victory chances of Mohammed Azharuddin and M Ali Shabbir in the last Assembly elections. Shabbir has been pacified with a lollipop in the form of an ‘Advisor to Government’ post, but he is virtually ineffective and does not have a strong voice in matters pertaining to Muslims. Shabbir is grooming his son to enter politics. After a meeting with Modi in Delhi two months ago, Revanth Reddy, on return to Hyderabad, started implementing the saffron agenda and ordered the opening of huge Gaushalas (Cow Shelters), allotting 50 acres of land to each of them. Waqf lands are in immediate danger as conflicts will arise, as the so-called Gaurakshaks will likely encroach on Waqf lands, and the final authority to judge whether the lands in question belong to Waqf or not will be with the district collectors. The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal publicly lauded Revanth Reddy on the issue of Gaushalas.
There came a new twist to Asadullah’s repatriation as the issue has gone to court again on Thursday. According to Ghouse Mohiuddin, a journalist who keenly follows Waqf matters in Telangana, the argument in court centred around eligibility. It was pointed out that Asadullah is already in the joint secretary rank, and the repatriation orders were issued in haste by the State Government. Things will be clearer in this matter next week. Till then, it is musical chairs for Asadullah.
The Hon’ble High Court may direct the Government of Telangana to hold all meetings of the Waqf Board under video camera, footage of which should be deposited with the court for perusal at a later date. There should be a forensic audit of the decisions taken at meetings in the Waqf Board and also the income and expenditure of the Waqf Board for the last 30 years at least. The Hon’ble High Court must keep the Waqf Board under scrutiny all the time in the interest of justice and development.
