Waqf Act SC hearing: No interim order as of now, court to reconvene tomorrow at 2 PM

A local of the Murshidabad district, Ujjwal Gupta, told news agency ANI that the violence that took place there "in the name of opposing the" Waqf amendment act is "wrong".

"...houses of Hindus and temples have been vandalised. The situation is under control now. All Hindus and Muslims stay together here, but if someone comes from outside and incites riots, it is wrong. We want everyone to stay peacefully and get back to normalcy," Gupta told news agency ANI.

Heavy security has been deployed in Murshidabad's Jangipur subdivision, where violence broke out during a protest against Waqf amendment act last week.

Officials have said that currently the situation is under control.

Shiv Sena MP Milind Deora appealed to the "Muslims to trust the Union government's intent".

Speaking to news agency ANI, he said, "When the government of India abrogated Article 370 from Kashmir, a fear narrative was created in the country that Kashmiri Muslims will be harmed. Today, the biggest beneficiaries of the abrogation are Kashmiris."

"When CAA was brought in, a fear psychosis was spread that Muslims would lose Indian citizenship. Today, not one Muslim has lost their citizenship. When the Waqf Amendment Act came now, the opposition was spreading a fear that this was against the interest of Muslims. I appeal to the Muslims to trust the Union government's intent," he added.

NHRC member Priyank Kanungo said that the Human Rights Commission has received three complaints about the violence in Murshidabad that took place during the protests against the Waqf Amendment Act.

Speaking to ANI, NHRC Member Priyank Kanungo said, "We received 3 separate complaints from Murshidabad. A father-son duo was killed by a mob that was spreading hatred and violence over the Waqf Amendment Act...We have also received news that many people are fleeing from there to other districts in the neighbouring states, and the feeling of insecurity has set in among the citizens.

"In such a situation, it becomes necessary that the Human Rights Commission take immediate cognisance. We have taken cognisance of the basis of the complaint. We have directed that a team of the Commission should go there, see the situation and submit a report in this regard to us," Kanungo added.

As protests against the Waqf amendment act continue across several parts of the nation, massive row erupted over the violence in Murshidabad.

The protests against the Waqf bill took a violent turn, leaving at least three people dead and several others injured in Suti, Dhulian, Samserganj, and Jangipura areas last week.

Meanwhile, at least 18 police personnel were injured in the clashes and were undergoing treatment at different hospitals.

On Tuesday, West Bengal police arrested two men in connection with the murder of two men during the Murshidabad protests.

Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) National General Secretary PK Kunhalikutty on Tuesday said that the Waqf amendment act goes against the Constitution.

"We are confident. The Supreme Court is taking up the matter. We have given our petition, and senior Advocate Kapil Sibal is appearing. It (the Waqf Amendment Act) is against the Constitution. That is what we believe," Kunhalikutty told ANI.

He mentioned that the matter is now with the Supreme Court, and senior advocate Kapil Sibal is representing their petition.

All India Sufi Sajjadanashin Council Chairman Syed Naseruddin Chishty extended his support to Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the Waqf (Amendment) Act, saying that the government's intent behind the move is "very clear".

Chisty, speaking to news agency ANI, said he is hopeful that the new Act will properly utilize the Waqf Fund for the welfare of society.

"What PM Modi said yesterday made his intent very clear. He said that the Waqf Act is being amended so that there is proper utilisation of Waqf management, its properties, its funds and upliftment of poor Muslims. That is what the PM said, and it is absolutely correct. I agree with him. The Govt's intent is very clear... I, too, am very hopeful that with the new Act, the Waqf Fund will be properly utilised for the welfare of society," Syed Naseruddin Chishty said.

As the SC is going to hear pleas against Waqf Amendment Act, one of the petitioner Daya Singh said the legislation “violates the constitutional provisions of Articles 14, 26, 25, 29, it also challenges Article 300”.

"The Waqf Act that was passed, it violates the constitutional provisions of Articles 14, 26, 25, 29, it also challenges Article 300. If there is a decision being made regarding Waqf Board, we have the apprehension that same can happen to Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhan Committee. If the constitution permits the people of one religion to manage their own, there is no need to bring in people from other religion... We think that it is wrong, as we belong to a minority community, that's why we have filed the petition in SC," he said.

(via PTI)

As many as six BJP-ruled states have approached the Supreme Court to support the constitutionality of the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025.

These states, including Haryana, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Assam, have filed separate pleas highlighting the potential administrative and legal ramifications if the Waqf (Amendment) Act is struck down or altered.

Uttarakhand Waqf board chairman Shadab Shams said that the passage of the Waqf legislation in the Parliament reflected Prime Minister Narendra Modi's sensitivity to the plight of poor Muslims.

Shams said, "It will rid Waqf properties from decades of encroachment by rich and influential Muslims. These properties will now come to the aid of poor Muslims."

"Prime Minister Narendra Modi brought the amendments as he could understand the pain of poor Muslims," he said.

The YSR Congress party filed a petition in the Supreme Court challenging the Waqf Amendment Act, which was passed by both the Houses of Parliament last week, stating that there were serious Constitutional violations in the Act, which failed to address the concerns of the Muslim community, the party said in a statement.

According to the statement, the new Waqf Act violates Articles 13, 14, 25, and 26 of the Constitution — provisions that guarantee fundamental rights, equality before law, freedom of religion, and the autonomy of religious denominations to manage their own affairs.

“The inclusion of non-Muslim members under Sections 9 and 14 is seen as interference in the internal functioning of Waqf institutions. This provision undermines the religious character and administrative independence of the Boards,” it said.

Union minister Kiren Rijiju on Tuesday accused West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee of "inciting violence" by her remarks against the Waqf Amendment Act.

Rijiju claimed that the TMC chief asked people to protest against the recently enacted the Waqf Amendment Act and declared that she would not implement it in her state.

"The CM is visibly inciting violence by asking people to protest and saying that she will not follow the law passed by the Parliament," he said.

India on Tuesday dismissed Islamabad's criticism of the Waqf (Amendment) Act enacted by the Parliament, saying that Pakistan has no right to comment on the matter and should instead focus on protecting the rights of the neighbouring country's minorities.

The reaction from the external affairs ministry came days after Pakistan’s foreign office said last Thursday that the new Indian law will undermine the Muslim community’s control of Islamic charitable endowments and lead to “further marginalisation” of the community.

The Uttarakhand Waqf Board had on Monday submitted an application to the Supreme Court and sought permission to intervene in a writ petition filed by AIMIM MP Asaduddin Owaisi challenging Waqf amendment act's legal validity. The board, which has been in support of the Waqf law, said that they should be allowed to present legal and factual information about the issues related to the law before the court.

The Rajasthan government approached the Supreme Court to become a party in the ongoing batch of pleas challenging the constitutional validity of the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025. The Bhajan Lal Sharma-led government defends the Act as a transparent and constitutionally sound reform.

All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi moved Supreme Court, challenging the constitutional validity of the Waqf (Amendment) Act and argued that the law "brazenly violates the fundamental rights of Muslims and the Muslim community".

Owaisi is among several of the opposition leaders who have moved the top court against the Waqf act.

The Centre has been defending the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025, as a "historic reform" which is aimed at providing benefits to the minority community.

Union minister Kiren Rijiju repeatedly clarified that the act does not target the Muslim community, rather is meant to rectify "past mistakes". He said that the government's intention was to ensure there is no provision for anyone in India to "forcefully and unilaterally' take over another person's land.

Rijiju said that the Waqf law was amended as certain provisions had granted "unprecedented power and authority to the Waqf boards".

The Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025, came into force on April 8, a central government notification said.

The Waqf (Amendment) Bill was passed in the Parliament houses in March. The Lok Sabha passed the legislation with 232 votes, while the Rajya Sabha gave 128 votes in its favour.

Following this, President Droupadi Murmu gave her assent to the bill on April 5.

A Supreme Court bench headed by Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna, comprising justices Sanjay Kumar and KV Viswanathan, will on Wednesday take up around 10 pleas, challenging the constitutional validity of the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025.