The Central government on Friday submitted a detailed response to the Supreme Court, urging it to dismiss a series of petitions challenging the constitutional validity of the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025.
The Centre argued that there cannot be a blanket stay on the implementation of the law, emphasizing that every legislation is presumed to be constitutional unless proven otherwise.
In a voluminous 1,332-page preliminary counter-affidavit, the government firmly defended the contentious amendment, stating that the dramatic increase in waqf land in recent years warranted legislative intervention.
The affidavit pointed to a “shocking” rise of over 20.92 lakh hectares of waqf land since 2013.“Right from the pre-Mughal era, through the British colonial period, and post-Independence, the total land under waqf was around 18.29 lakh acres. But in the last decade alone, an additional 20.92 lakh hectares of land have been added,” the Centre claimed.
The Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025, introduced changes to the management and governance of waqf properties, aiming for stricter oversight and regulation. However, several petitioners have challenged the law, raising concerns over property rights, transparency, and potential misuse of authority by waqf boards.
The Centre, however, dismissed these concerns as speculative and asserted that the law was framed to ensure fair and efficient administration of waqf assets. It said that the law addresses long-standing gaps in oversight and enhances accountability.
The matter is scheduled for further hearings, where the Supreme Court will deliberate on the constitutionality of the new amendments and the legitimacy of the concerns raised by the petitioners
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