The Supreme Court of India, on Wednesday, continued hearing a series of petitions challenging the constitutional validity of the Waqf (Amendment) Act 2025. The court has now given the central government seven days to submit its official response. After that, the petitioners will be allowed five more days to review and reply.
The bench, led by Chief Justice Sanjeev Khanna, stated that an interim decision regarding the law would be made after the petitioners have studied the Centre’s reply.
Senior lawyer Kapil Sibal, speaking on behalf of the petitioners, argued that the recent changes to the Waqf Act violate Article 26 of the Indian Constitution, which protects the right of religious groups to manage their own affairs.
During the hearing, the Supreme Court also hinted at putting some parts of the amended Act on hold—particularly the sections that allow waqf properties declared by courts to be de-notified, and the controversial inclusion of non-Muslim members in central and state waqf boards.
Ten different petitions have been filed against the Act by various leaders and civil rights groups, including Asaduddin Owaisi, Amanatullah Khan, Arshad Madani, and Manoj Jha. Recently, new petitions were added by TMC MP Mahua Moitra and SP leader Zia-ur-Rahman Barq.