Wed Apr 16 05:07:31 UTC 2025: ## Supreme Court to Hear Challenges to Waqf Amendment Act

**New Delhi, April 16, 2025** – The Supreme Court of India will hear a batch of petitions challenging the constitutional validity of the recently passed Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025. The hearing, scheduled for today, will consider pleas filed by various political parties and individuals.

The Act, passed by both houses of Parliament earlier this month, has drawn significant opposition. The Lok Sabha approved the bill with 288 votes in favor and 232 against, while the Rajya Sabha saw 128 votes in favor and 95 opposed.

Among the petitioners are prominent figures from several opposition parties, including AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi, AAP leader Amanatullah Khan, and representatives from the TMC, DMK, YSRCP, CPI, and RJD. Their petitions argue against the constitutionality of the amended Act.

However, the situation is complicated by the intervention of six BJP-ruled states – Haryana, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, and Assam – which filed separate pleas supporting the Act. These states argue that striking down or altering the Act would have significant administrative and legal repercussions. Their pleas highlight the need for reforms in Waqf property management and express concerns about past irregularities in declaring properties as Waqf assets. The Uttarakhand Waqf Board has also voiced its support for the Act.

The Supreme Court has already listed at least 10 petitions, with more expected. The three-judge bench hearing the case includes Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justices Sanjay Kumar and K.V. Viswanathan. The court’s decision will have far-reaching consequences for the management and regulation of Waqf properties across India.

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