Mon Sep 15 09:05:04 UTC 2025: Okay, here’s a summary and a news article based on the provided text:
**Summary:**
The Indian National Congress has celebrated the Supreme Court’s partial stay on the Waqf (Amendment) Act 2025. The court’s decision puts on hold key provisions, including the power of the Collector to adjudicate Waqf property status and the requirement for a five-year practicing Muslim status for Waqf donations. Congress argues the Act was designed to inflame voters and facilitate religious disputes, and the court’s intervention protects constitutional values. While the court upheld the Act’s overall constitutionality, it acknowledged the need to address specific sections deemed problematic, pending further arguments.
**News Article:**
**Supreme Court Halts Key Provisions of Waqf Act; Congress Claims Victory for Constitutional Values**
**New Delhi, September 15, 2025** – The Supreme Court of India today delivered a partial stay on the Waqf (Amendment) Act 2025, prompting celebrations from the Indian National Congress, who hailed the decision as a win for justice, equality, and constitutional fraternity.
The apex court’s order specifically puts on hold several key provisions of the Act, including the powers granted to a designated government officer (Collector) to determine the status of Waqf properties, and a controversial clause requiring individuals to be practicing Muslims for at least five years before dedicating property as Waqf.
“The Supreme Court’s order…represents a substantial victory not just for the parties that opposed this arbitrary law in Parliament but all those members of the Joint Parliamentary Committee,” said Congress General Secretary in-charge Communications, Jairam Ramesh, in a statement released this afternoon.
Counsels for the opposition had argued the law’s powers granted to the Collector would result in undue challenges to property status, placing them in indefinite limbo, and that limiting Waqf donations to long-term Muslim practitioners was discriminatory. Mr. Ramesh further alleged the intention behind these provisions was to “keep the voter base inflamed and create an administrative structure to indulge those seeking to foment religious disputes.”
The Supreme Court bench, headed by Chief Justice B R Gavai, declined to stay the entire Act, stating that “presumption is always in favour of constitutionality of a statute.” However, the court acknowledged the need for further scrutiny of certain sections. The bench also addressed concerns about non-Muslim representation on Waqf boards, limiting their numbers to four out of 20 on the Central Waqf Council and three out of 11 on State Waqf Boards.
Chief Justice Gavai clarified that the directions were interim and did not prevent petitioners or the government from presenting full arguments on the law’s constitutional validity at a future hearing. The stay on the five-year practicing Muslim requirement will remain in effect until state governments frame rules for determining a person’s practicing Muslim status.
The Waqf (Amendment) Act 2025, passed by the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha in April, was notified on April 8th after receiving Presidential assent. The court’s decision today underscores the ongoing debate surrounding the law and its potential impact on Waqf properties and Muslim communities across India.
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