Thu Apr 17 18:39:40 UTC 2025: ## Supreme Court Halts Implementation of Controversial Waqf Amendment Act
**Hyderabad, April 18, 2025** – The Supreme Court has granted interim relief against the recently enacted Waqf Amendment Act, 2025, halting the central government’s efforts to implement the law, according to Telangana’s former Minister Mohammed Ali Shabbir. Mr. Shabbir, a petitioner in the case challenging the Act’s constitutionality, welcomed the court’s decision at a press conference Thursday.
He argued that the Act, which allows for the appointment of non-Muslim members to Waqf boards, infringes upon the constitutional rights of religious minorities and threatens the autonomy of Waqf institutions. Mr. Shabbir stressed that Waqf lands, donated for the benefit of poor Muslims, are not government property and should remain protected. He warned that the implementation of the law could jeopardize lakhs of acres of Waqf land across India, impacting not only Muslims but also beneficiaries from other faiths.
Representing the petitioners, senior advocate Kapil Sibal argued that the Act violates constitutional guarantees. Mr. Shabbir further criticized the central government’s actions, asserting that the BJP is attempting to weaken Muslim institutions through this amendment, contrasting it with the affirmative action policies of the Congress-led Telangana government which, he claimed, have led to improved outcomes for the Muslim community. The case continues before the Supreme Court.
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