New Delhi: The Supreme Court is hearing a slew of petitions, including by Congress MP Mohammad Jawed and AIMIM MP Asaduddin Owaisi, challenging the constitutional validity of the recently passed Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025.
The Lok Sabha passed the law on April 3 with 288 members supporting and 232 against, while the Rajya Sabha cleared it the next day with 128 members voting in favour and 95 in opposition. The Amendment Act received presidential assent on April 5.
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The petitioners argue that the amendment amounts to discrimination against Muslims and unwarranted interference in Islamic religious affairs and the management of waqf properties.
A three-judge bench comprising Chief Justice of India (CJI) Sanjiv Khanna and Justices PV Sanjay Kumar and KV Vishwanathan is hearing the matter in the top court. The top court will continue hearing on pleas challenging Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025 at 2 pm on April 17.
Top 5 quotes by the Supreme Court on Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025
- Are you saying you will allow Muslims to be part of Hindu endowment boards? Say it openly.
- When a public trust is declared to be a Waqf 100 or 200 years ago… suddenly you say it is being taken over by the Waqf board and declared otherwise.
- How will you register such waqfs by user? What documents will they have? It will lead to undoing something. Yes, there is some misuse. But there are genuine ones also. I have gone through privy council judgments also. Waqf by user is recognised. If you undo it then it will be a problem. Legislature cannot declare a judgment, order or decree as void. You can only take the basis.
- The issue is with government property. Before British came, we did not have any registration or Transfer of Property Act. Many masjids will be in 14th or 15th century… Suppose Jama Masjid.
- What! When we sit over here. We lose our religion. For us both sides are the same. How can you compare it with the judges? Why not have non Muslims also in the advisory board of Hindu endowments then?
