The Supreme Court will hear a batch of petitions challenging the constitutional validity of the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025 on Wednesday (April 16) at 2 pm.
The development comes amid a batch of petitions filed by political leaders, including the one of AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi, and religious groups against the Waqf (Amendment) Act, which was recently passed by the centre in the Parliament. The act, which seeks to streamline the management of Waqf properties, has seen a strong opposition from a section of the Muslim community and also seen violent protests in Murshidabad and South 24 Parganas districts of West Bengal.
“Bench comprising Hon’ble the Chief Justice, Hon’ble Mr. Justice Sanjay Kumar and Hon’ble Mr. Justice K.V. Viswanathan will sit in Chief Justice’s Court on 16.04.2025 (Wednesday) at 2:00 p.m. and this Bench will sit upto 3:25 p.m. All the Waqf matters will be taken up at 2:00 p.m. by this Bench, including Item No. 13, i.e. W.P(C)No. 269/2025 etc., already notified in the main Cause list for 16.04.2025 (Wednesday),” a statement of the apex court read, according to Bar and Bench.
A three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna will hear the pleas challenging the legislation. In addition to Owaisi’s plea, the court listed for hearing the petitions filed by AAP leader Amanatullah Khan, Association for the Protection of Civil Rights, Arshad Madani, Samastha Kerala Jamiathul Ulema, Anjum Kadari, Taiyyab Khan Salmani, Mohammad Shafi, Mohammed Fazlurrahim and RJD leader Manoj Kumar Jha.
Several fresh pleas, which are yet to be listed, were filed in the top court subsequently including the ones filed by TMC MP Mahua Moitra, Samajwadi Party MP from Sambhal, Zia-ur-Rahman Barq.
The YSRCP-led by former Andhra Pradesh chief minister Jagan Mohan Reddy, the Communist Party of India (CPI), Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam chief and actor-turned-politician Vijay have also moved the top court on the issue.
Advocate Hari Shankar Jain and one Mani Munjal have also filed a separate petition challenging the constitutional validity of several provisions of the law on the ground that they violate fundamental rights of non-Muslims following which the CJI agreed to list it.
The Centre recently notified the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025, which got the assent of President Droupadi Murmu on April 5 after its passage from Parliament following heated debates in both houses. The bill was passed in the Rajya Sabha with 128 members voting in favour and 95 opposing it. It was cleared by the Lok Sabha with 288 members supporting it and 232 against it.
The All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB), Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), Congress MPs Imran Pratapgarhi and Mohammad Jawed are other key petitioners.
