SC Begins Hearing Pleas Against Waqf Act, Owaisi Reaches Court

A three-judge bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justices Sanjay Kumar and K V Viswanathan listed 10 petitions so far.

Several fresh pleas, which are yet to be listed, were filed in the top court subsequently.

Source : PTI

The Supreme Court has begun hearing pleas against the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025. A three-judge bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justices Sanjay Kumar and K V Viswanathan listed 10 petitions, including the one of AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi.

The court listed for hearing the petitions filed by AAP leader Amanatullah Khan, Association for the Protection of Civil Rights, Arshad Madani, Samastha Kerala Jamiathul Ulema, Anjum Kadari, Taiyyab Khan Salmani, Mohammad Shafi, Mohammed Fazlurrahim and RJD leader Manoj Kumar Jha.

Several fresh pleas, which are yet to be listed, were filed in the top court subsequently, including the ones filed by TMC MP Mahua Moitra, Samajwadi Party MP from Sambhal Zia-ur-Rahman Barq.

Senior advocate Kapil Sibal argued that the Act passed by Parliament encroaches upon several fundamental and essential aspects. "It interferes in religious matters. Such interference can only be justified on the grounds of law and order, health, and morality," he added.

Sibal further said, "Please see section 3R of the Unified Waqf Management Act. Please see the definition of waqf. Waqf means the permanent dedication by any person showing or demonstrating…that he is practising Islam for the last 5 years. That’s why if I want to create a waqf, I have to show I am practising Islam from the last 5 years and how should the state decide whether and how I am a Muslim or not.. what is the contrivance here."