Waqf Act Showdown: SC to Hear 10 Challenges to Controversial Law Today

The legal battle on the Waqf Amendment Act will be fought in the Supreme Court from today. In several applications filed in the Supreme Court, the constitutional validity of many provisions of the Waqf Amendment Act has been challenged. Recently, in the last days of the budget session, this bill was passed by both the houses of Parliament. Muslim organizations, clerics, civil society and opposition parties are opposing this law. They allege that through this bill the government wants to take over the Waqf properties, while the government says that this will improve the management and operation of Waqf properties and will bring transparency in it.

A bench headed by CJI will hear the case
A three-member bench of Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justices Sanjay Kumar and KV Vishwanathan has so far listed 10 petitions on the issue. Apart from the petition of All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Owaisi, the apex court has listed for hearing the petitions filed by Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Amanatullah Khan, Association for the Protection of Civil Rights, Arshad Madani, Samasta Kerala Jamiatul Ulema, Anjum Qadri, Tayyab Khan Salmani, Mohammad Shafi, Mohammad Fazlurrahim and RJD MP Manoj Jha.

Petition of SP, TMC, Bark also included
Several new petitions have been filed in the apex court on the issue, which are yet to be listed. These petitions also include those filed by Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra, Samajwadi Party MP from Sambhal Zia-ur-Rehman Barq. Yuvajana Sramika Raithu Congress Party (YSRCP) led by former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Jaganmohan Reddy, Communist Party of India (CPI) and Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK) chief and actor-turned-politician Vijay have also approached the apex court on the issue.

The Central government had filed a 'caveat' in the court on April 8 and requested for a hearing before passing any order in the matter.

Government filed a 'caveat'
'Caveat' is filed by a party in the High Courts and the Supreme Court to ensure that no order is passed without hearing it. The Center had recently notified the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025. The All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB), Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), Congress MP Imran Pratapgarhi and Mohammad Javed are the other major petitioners. On April 7, a bench headed by the Chief Justice had assured senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind, to consider listing the petitions