Waqf Amendment Act Hearing Live Updates: 'Retaliation in guise of reform', Congress attacks Centre over Waqf law

SC seeks Centre's response to over 100 petitions which challenge the constitutional validity of the Waqf (Amendment) Act, which seeks authentication of Waqf property and provides for appointment of non-Muslims to the Waqf Council and the Aukaf Board. But did not stay in operation of the law.

Speaking outside the Supreme Court during the ongoing hearing on petitions challenging the constitutional validity of the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025, Congress MP Imran Masood said:

“There’s a huge crowd (inside the courtroom), it’s difficult to even enter. The hearing has just begun, and I have full faith that justice will be served. We can’t comment on judicial proceedings, but we truly believe that justice will be delivered from here.”

As the SC is going to hear pleas against Waqf Amendment Act today, one of the petitioner Jaleed Ahmad said, "The Waqf (Amendment) that has come, a new provision of 'Waqf By User' is an attempt to dilute Places of Worship Act, 1991. Secondly, in new amendment, a condition was brought that mentioned that all the Waqf would be have to produce the documental evidence in every six months on the portal. Earlier the Waqf used to be verbal, there are no documents, but they are Waqf. The act was forced unconstitutionally on the community. Court is the only place where we can expect the justice, we hope that the SC would do justice."

"The Supreme Court will be hearing the petitions today. I and our party, Akhilesh Yadav had opposed the (Waqf) bill when it was brought in Parliament. This bill is meant to divide our society and obstruct the development of our nation. We protested against the bill inside Parliament and at Jantar Mantar too. I have also filed a writ in Supreme Court which will be heard today, and we are hoping for justice," Samajwadi Party MP Zia ur Rahman Barq said ahead of SC hearing

In a significant development, six BJP-ruled states including Madhya Pradesh and Assam have approached the Supreme Court to support the constitutionality of the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025. A three-judge bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justices Sanjay Kumar and K V Viswanathan is likely to hear at 2 pm a batch of petitions, including the one of AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi, against the constitutional validity of the new Waqf law.

The six BJP-ruled states -- Haryana, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Assam -- have filed separate pleas highlighting the potential administrative and legal ramifications if the Waqf (Amendment) Act is struck down or altered.

Haryana, which has filed the intervention in the lead petition, emphasised the urgent need for reform in the management of Waqf property.

The state government pointed to persistent issues such as incomplete property surveys, lack of proper accounting, long-pending cases in Waqf tribunals and irregular or missing records of property mutations.

It said the amended law seeks to bring a unified structure for Waqf management and ensure greater oversight of Mutawallis (custodians).

The Maharashtra government asserted that it is crucial to assist the apex court by providing parliamentary records, committee recommendations and insights from national consultations.

As Supreme Court readies to hear on Wednesday a bunch of petitions challenging Waqf Amendment Act, a petition by advocate Hari Shankar Jain sought scrapping of several provisions of waqf Act, 1995 and recent amendments alleging their use as tools by waqfs to illegally amass immoveable properties across India.

In his petition, Jain, who is in the forefront of litigation for restoration of Gyanvapi mosque at Varanasi and Idgah at Mathura to Kashi Vishwanath temple and Krishna Janmasthan temple, challenged as many as six section of the waqf Act alleging that because of these provisions "Muslims have been able to illegally capture the properties belonging to public utilities, govt, gram samajs and Hindu temples."

All India Sufi Sajjadanashin Council Chairman Syed Naseruddin Chishty on Tuesday extended his support to Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the Waqf Amendment Act, stating that the government's intent behind the move is "very clear."

Speaking to ANI, Syed Naseruddin Chishty said that he is hopeful that the new Act will properly utilise the Waqf Fund for the welfare of society.

"What PM Modi said yesterday made his intent very clear. He said that the Waqf Act is being amended so that there is proper utilisation of Waqf management, its properties, its funds and upliftment of poor Muslims. That is what the PM said, and it is absolutely correct. I agree with him. The Govt's intent is very clear... I, too, am very hopeful that with the new Act, the Waqf Fund will be properly utilised for the welfare of society," Syed Naseruddin Chishty said.

A day earlier, PM Modi accused the Congress party of spreading "votebank ka virus" for opposing the recently passed Waqf (Amendment) Act. The Prime Minister also accused the Opposition party of treating the SC and ST communities as "second-class citizens".

Residents of a village near here on Tuesday claimed that they have received notice from authorities administering a local mosque-dargah declaring their land to be "Waqf" property.

The notice has asked them to pay rent/fee or vacate, they alleged and said that they have petitioned Vellore District Collector V R Subbulaxmi to look into the matter and render justice.

The residents of Kaatukollai village under Anaikattu union (Vellore district), near Virinichipuram said they have been living in the village for about 3-4 generations and now, all of a sudden, they have received notices.

Approximately 150 families live in the village and the exact number of residents who received the so-called notice could not be verified immediately.

Officials did not answer phone calls for comment and the content of the "notice" could not be immediately cross-checked.

Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) National General Secretary PK Kunhalikutty on Tuesday said that the Waqf Amendment Act goes against the Constitution.

Speaking to ANI, Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) National General Secretary PK Kunhalikutty said, "We are confident. The Supreme Court is taking up the matter. We have given our petition, and senior Advocate Kapil Sibal is appearing. It (the Waqf Amendment Act) is against the Constitution. That is what we believe."

He mentioned that the matter is now with the Supreme Court, and senior advocate Kapil Sibal is representing their petition.

The petitions filed in the Supreme Court challenging the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025, were mentioned before the Supreme Court on April 7.