Sat Apr 05 22:19:00 UTC 2025: ## Controversial Waqf Amendment Act Sparks Opposition Uproar

**NEW DELHI, April 6, 2025** – President Droupadi Murmu’s assent to the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025, has ignited a firestorm of protest from opposition parties. The Act, passed by Parliament this week following extensive debate, significantly alters the management and regulation of waqf properties in India.

The legislation, which amends the 1995 Waqf Act, expands government oversight of waqf properties – land and assets dedicated for religious or charitable purposes under Islamic law. Key changes include restricting the right to establish a waqf to individuals who have practiced Islam for at least five years, a provision criticized as constitutionally suspect by legal experts like Dr. Faizan Mustafa of Chanakya National Law University. The Act also removes the doctrine of “waqf by user,” potentially jeopardizing the legal standing of numerous informally managed properties.

Further controversy surrounds the inclusion of non-Muslims in key waqf institutions, a move welcomed by some as promoting diversity but condemned by opposition parties as infringing on the community’s religious autonomy. The Act mandates at least two non-Muslim members on both the Central Waqf Council and State Waqf Boards, and removes the requirement for a Muslim Chief Executive Officer. The law also introduces a centralized registration system for waqf properties.

The opposition’s concerns extend to the repeal of Section 107 of the 1995 Act, which exempted waqf properties from limitation laws, potentially making them vulnerable to encroachment claims. Several petitions challenging the Act’s constitutionality have already been filed in the Supreme Court.

While the government defends the amendments as necessary for transparency and accountability, critics argue they undermine the community’s right to manage its religious affairs. The debate highlights the complex interplay between religious freedom, government regulation, and the management of significant religious endowments in India.

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