Kochi: The long-standing Munambam land dispute, which has been a source of anxiety for local residents and the wider Kerala community, received a significant judicial resolution yesterday. The Division Bench of the Kerala High Court delivered a landmark judgment clarifying the ownership of the contested land.

The Hon’ble court ruled that the land in question was not a waqf property. It confirmed that the land had been legitimately gifted to Farooq College, Kozhikode, by Muhammad Siddique Syed under the 1950 Act. The court further declared that the Kerala Waqf Board’s attempt to classify the land as waqf property in September 2019 nearly seven decades after the gift was illegal and motivated by vested interests. The bench described the Waqf Board’s unilateral move as an attempt at land grabbing.

Following the verdict, public attention has turned to the Kerala government, with calls for swift action to restore clarity on land ownership for Munambam residents. Local groups, including the Jagratha Samiti, urged the government to provide the necessary revenue records and official documents to ease the concerns of the affected families. The Samiti also emphasized that the state should remain impartial and not yield to external pressures in implementing the court’s decision.

In a broader appeal, the Jagratha Samiti called upon all political parties and citizens to stand united in ensuring that the court’s ruling is fully executed. They described the verdict as a triumph of justice for the Munambam community and a step toward safeguarding the rights of residents who have long awaited clarity on this contentious land issue.

The High Court’s decision is expected to bring relief to the local population, ending years of uncertainty and providing a legal foundation for the rightful ownership of the land.