Supreme Court to hear bunch of pleas challenging the Waqf Act today

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court’s Chief Justice’s bench will hear multiple petitions challenging the Waqf (Amendment) Act 2025 legislation at 2 pm on Wednesday.

Appearing on behalf of Hindu Sena chief Vishnu Gupta, Advocate Barun Kumar Sinha filed an intervention application in the Supreme Court, defending the recent amendments. “We have prayed that the amendment that was brought in in Waqf Act 1995 is absolutely in consonance with the Constitution of India. Nobody’s fundamental right has been violated. This amendment has been brought after the Govt of India carried out a very deep study on the complaints received from various parts of the country,” Sinha said.

He added that the changes were introduced following an extensive government review of complaints across the country and were meant to reform “draconian provisions” of the original Act.

#WATCH | Delhi: Advocate Barun Kumar Sinha says, “On behalf of Hindu Sena chief Vishnu Gupta, I have filed intervention application in one of the petitions. In that, we have prayed that the amendment which has been brought in in Waqf Act 1995 is absolutely in consonance with the… pic.twitter.com/5KcYqS84NI

— ANI (@ANI) April 16, 2025

Sinha further said,” Those amendments are absolutely in the teeth of the Constitutional provisions. So, nobody’s fundamental right has been violated. So, we are challenging the very locus standi of the petitioners because these petitioners belong to some of the political parties, and those political parties have brought in these writ petitions. So, we will bring in all these facts before the Supreme Court and oppose any interim prayer made by these petitioners before the Supreme Court.”

Meanwhile, Advocate Pradeep Yadav, representing petitioners Tayyab Ahmed Sulemani and Anjum Qadri, confirmed that their pleas were listed before the Chief Justice’s bench at 2 pm.

Yadav said, “The petitions have been notified for 2 pm. The matter will be heard at 2 pm in the court of the Chief Justice. I am representing two people; we have two writ petitioners, one by Tayyab Ahmed Sulemani and the other by Anjum Qadri. Our argument on both writ petitions is that they should be admitted, following which we have demanded an interim stay. It means that there should be a stay on implementation.”

Furthermore, the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) has filed a petition in the Supreme Court challenging the Waqf (Amendment) Act, alleging that the legislation violates fundamental Constitutional provisions and threatens the autonomy of Muslim religious institutions.

All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) Member of Parliament Asaduddin Owaisi, Congress MPs Mohammad Jawed and Imran Pratapgarhi, MP Mahua Moitra, AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan, MLA from National People’s Party India (NPP) party in Manipur Sheikh Noorul Hassan, MP and President of the Azad Samaj Party Chandra Shekhar Azad, Samajwadi Party MP from Sambhal Zia Ur Rehman Barq, President of the Islamic cleric’s body Jamiat Ulema-i-Hind Maulana Arshad Madani, Kerala Sunni scholars’ body Samastha Kerala Jamiatul Ulema, Social Democratic Party of India, Indian Union Muslim League, and NGO Association for Protection of Civil Rights have already approached the top court against the Act.

The All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB), Manoj Jha, Faiyaz Ahmad MP in Rajya Sabha from Bihar’s RJD, and RJD MLA from Bihar Muhammad Izhar Asfi have also challenged it.

The ruling party in Tamil Nadu, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), through its MP A Raja, who was a member of the Joint Parliamentary Committee on the Waqf Bill, also approached the apex court against the Act. The Communist Party of India, through its General Secretary D Raja and Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) President and actor Vijay, have also challenged the Act.

In his plea, Javed, who was also a member of the Joint Parliamentary Committee on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, said that the Act discriminates against the Muslim community by imposing restrictions that are not present in the governance of other religious endowments.

In support of the amended legislation, Satish Kumar Aggarwal of the Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha and Hindu Sena President Vishnu Gupta have submitted applications defending the law.

The Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025, received Presidential assent on April 5 and came into force on April 8. Following a 12-hour debate, the Rajya Sabha passed it with 128 votes in favour and 95 against. The Lok Sabha passed the bill earlier with a margin of 288 to 232. (ANI)