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‘Legal battle far from over’: What Owaisi said on SC's Waqf Act hearing
Owaisi said the apex court has made significant observations, including halting appointments in the Central and State Waqf Councils till the next hearing.
AIMIM MP Asaduddin Owaisi, a staunch critic of the newly enacted Waqf Amendment Act, called the legislation "unconstitutional" on Thursday amid ongoing hearings in the Supreme Court.
Speaking to ANI, Owaisi said the apex court has made significant observations, including halting appointments in the Central and State Waqf Councils until the next hearing.
The AIMIM leader also welcomed the court's decision to uphold the concept of ‘Waqf by user’, a provision that protects long-standing religious use of property.
"We consider this Act unconstitutional. The court has said that the Central Waqf Council and the State Waqf Council will not be constituted till the next hearing, and 'Waqf by user' cannot be deleted," Owaisi told ANI.
"During the deliberations of the JPC, I gave a report opposing all amendments proposed by the government, and during the debate on the bill," he added.
Owaisi affirmed that the legal challenge to the Act is far from over.
The newly enacted Waqf Amendment Act, which governs the administration of waqf (endowment) properties across India, has been a subject of political controversy since it was passed in the parliament earlier this month.
President Droupadi Murmu on Saturday, April 5, gave her assent to the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025, and the Mussalman Wakf (Repeal) Bill, 2025. The Waqf (Amendment) Act came into force on April 8.
What did the SC say on the Waqf Amendment Act today?
The Supreme Court on Thursday directed the Centre to file its stand within a week in the challenge to the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025, after it was assured by the union government that 'waqf by user' or 'waqf by deed' properties wouldn't be denotified till the next hearing.
"Waqf by user" refers to a practice where a property is recognised as a religious or charitable endowment (waqf) based on its long-term, uninterrupted use for such purposes, even if there isn't a formal, written declaration of waqf by the owner.
A bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justices Sanjay Kumar and K V Viswanathan also recorded the assurance of Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Centre, that no appointments in the central Waqf council and boards will be made in the meantime.
Mehta said the government won't denotify "waqf by deed" and "waqf by user" properties till the next hearing.
During the hearing, the Centre also told the court that non-Muslims won't be appointed to the Central or state Waqf boards till the next hearing.
