The Supreme Court of India on Wednesday stated that it will continue hearing pleas challenging the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025 at 2 p.m. on April 17.
A three-judge bench led by Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna and comprising Justices Sanjay Kumar and KV Viswanathan.
The interim order, which the court suggested but did not pass today, indicated that properties declared by the court to be waqf will not be denotified or treated as non-waqf, whether it is waqf by user or not.
Case Insights
Among the petitioners is AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi, whose plea is part of a batch that includes prominent political leaders and civil rights organizations. Other petitioners include AAP leader Amanatullah Khan, RJD MP Manoj Kumar Jha, the Association for the Protection of Civil Rights, cleric Arshad Madani, Samastha Kerala Jamiathul Ulema, Anjum Kadari, Taiyyab Khan Salmani, Mohammad Shafi, and Mohammed Fazlurrahim.
Several political parties have also approached the apex court, including the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) led by former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy, the Communist Party of India (CPI), and Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam leader and actor-turned-politician Vijay.
Additionally, advocate Hari Shankar Jain and one Mani Munjal have filed separate petitions challenging specific provisions of the law, arguing that they infringe on the fundamental rights of non-Muslims. Following their plea, the Chief Justice agreed to list their petition alongside the others.
In anticipation of the hearings, the Centre filed a caveat in the Supreme Court on April 8, requesting that no order be passed without giving it an opportunity to be heard. A caveat is a legal notice ensuring that the court does not proceed ex parte (without hearing the other side).
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The Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025, recently came into effect after receiving presidential assent from President Droupadi Murmu on April 5. The law was passed in Parliament following intense debate. In the Rajya Sabha, it was approved with 128 votes in favor and 95 against. In the Lok Sabha, it passed with 288 members supporting it and 232 opposing it.
Other notable petitioners include the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB), Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), and Congress MPs Imran Pratapgarhi and Mohammad Jawed.
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