Supreme Court to hear pleas challenging Waqf law provisions on May 20
The Supreme Court will hear challenges to the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025 on May 20, considering interim relief. Lawyers were instructed to submit written notes by Monday, while the Centre assured that no waqf properties would be denotified amid ongoing legal discussions.
The Supreme Court said on Thursday that it will hear the matter concerning interim relief on the petitions challenging the validity of the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025, on May 20, PTI reported.
A bench led by Chief Justice B. R. Gavai and Justice Augustine George Masih directed senior advocate Kapil Sibal, representing the petitioners, and Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre, to submit their written submissions by Monday.
“We will be considering the issue of interim relief only on Tuesday,” the CJI said while adjourning the hearing on the pleas.
The bench was told by the lawyers from both sides that the judges may need some more time to go through the pleadings. In the meanwhile, the law officer said that in any case, there is a subsisting assurance of the Centre that no waqf properties, including those established by waqf by the user, would be identified.
Earlier, the law officer had also assured that no appointments to the Central Waqf Council or State Waqf Boards would be made under the new law.
The bench said it will not consider any plea seeking a stay of provisions of earlier 1995 Waqf law when the matters are taken up on May 20.
Former CJI Sanjiv Khanna, whose bench was hearing the matter, demitted office on May 13, and the matters were transferred to the bench headed by Justice Gavai.
Earlier on April 25, the Union Ministry of Minority Affairs submitted a preliminary 1,332-page affidavit in the Supreme Court, defending the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025. The Centre opposed any "blanket stay" on the law, emphasizing that it carries a presumption of constitutionality as it was passed by Parliament.
Urging the court to dismiss the petitions challenging the Act’s validity, the Centre highlighted what it described as a "mischievous false narrative" surrounding certain provisions of the legislation.
The Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025, was officially notified after receiving presidential assent from President Droupadi Murmu on April 5.
(With inputs from agencies)
- The Supreme Court is scheduled to review the legal challenges against the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025.
- The government defends the Act as constitutionally sound, asserting it was properly passed by Parliament.
- Concerns have been raised about the implications of the law, prompting public protests and legal scrutiny.
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