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Supreme Court to hear batch of pleas against Waqf Amendment Act today
A bench headed by Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna, and comprising Justices Sanjay Kumar and K V Viswanathan, will take up around 10 petitions on April 16.
The Supreme Court will hear a batch of petitions on Wednesday challenging the constitutional validity of several provisions of the Waqf (Amendment) Act.
The amended law has drawn criticism from several political leaders, religious organisations and civil rights groups who argue that it infringes on fundamental rights and alters the character of waqf properties.
A bench headed by Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna, and comprising Justices Sanjay Kumar and K V Viswanathan, will take up around 10 petitions on April 16.
The petitioners include Lok Sabha MP and AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi, Delhi Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Amanatullah Khan, Association for Protection of Civil Rights (APCR), Maulana Arshad Madani, Samastha Kerala Jamiathul Ulema, Anjum Kadri and others.
What do petitioners say about changes to Waqf law?
The petitioners have contended that the amendments distort the religious identity of waqfs and weaken the democratic processes governing waqf administration.
They claim the changes would have long-lasting effects on the administration of Muslim charitable endowments across the country.
The Centre has also filed a caveat before the apex court, requesting that no interim order be passed without hearing its side. Most of the petitioners have urged the court to stay the implementation of the law until the matter is fully heard.
Maulana Arshad Madani, president of the Jamiat Ulema-i-Hind, has said in his plea that the amendments “destroy the very foundation of waqf jurisprudence in India” and attempt to redefine the institution’s religious role in society.
The petitions challenge the law on grounds that it violates several constitutional protections, including Article 14 (right to equality), Article 25 (freedom of religion), Article 26 (freedom to manage religious affairs), Article 29 (protection of minority rights), and Article 300-A (right to property).
RJD MPs Manoj Jha and Faiyaz Ahmad have also filed petitions arguing that the law enables excessive government control over religious endowments.
The All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) and DMK, through its deputy general secretary A Raja, have submitted separate pleas raising similar concerns.
