Fresh plea in SC challenges validity of Waqf (Amendment) Act
[ Nipjyoti Kalita ]
ITANAGAR/NEW DELHI 6 Apr: Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) chief Chirag Paswan, who visited Arunachal Pradesh on Sunday, voiced strong support for the Waqf Act, stating that it would ensure justice for the poor sections of the Muslim community.
Speaking to the media, Paswan said, “Waqf will give justice to poor Muslims. My father, Ram Vilas Paswan, sacrificed his political career working for the upliftment of the Muslim community. As his son, I respect his ideology and assure the Muslim community that this Act is a step towards justice.”
Paswan informed that he has thoroughly read the bill as members of his party were part of the joint parliamentary committee. “I suggested a few important points which were accepted and incorporated into the final draft. I’m happy that the government considered our inputs,” he added.
He also hit out at the opposition for opposing the bill, saying, “The opposition’s resistance to the bill reflects their double standards. This Act has been passed with our consent and aims to benefit the poor.”
Paswan’s visit to Arunachal is seen as part of his outreach ahead of upcoming political engagements in the Northeast.
Meanwhile, a fresh plea has been filed in the Supreme Court, challenging the constitutional validity of the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025, claiming it is a “blatant intrusion” into the rights of a religious denomination to manage its own affairs in the matter of religion, a PTI report from New Delhi said.
President Droupadi Murmu on Saturday gave her assent to the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025, which was earlier passed by Parliament after heated debates in both Houses.
Several petitions have been filed in the apex court, challenging the validity of the bill.
The fresh petition has been filed by Samastha Kerala Jamiathul Ulema, a religious organisation of Sunni Muslim scholars and clerics in Kerala.
The plea, filed through advocate Zulfiker Ali PS, said that these amendments would distort the religious character of Waqfs while also irreversibly damaging the democratic process in the administration of Waqf and Waqf Boards.
“Hence, it is submitted that the 2025 Act is a blatant intrusion into the rights of a religious denomination to manage its own affairs in the matter of religion, which is protected under Article 26 of the Constitution of India,” the plea said.
It alleged that the 2025 Act is against the federal principles of Constitution as it takes away all powers of the state governments and state Waqf Boards in connection with Waqfs and accumulates all powers into the hands of the central government.
“The cumulative effect of these provisions will be highly detrimental to Waqfs at large and the Muslim community will be deprived of large tract of Waqf properties on account of operation of these provisions,” the plea said.
Several pleas, including those by Congress MP Mohammad Jawed, AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi and AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan, were filed in the top court, challenging the validity of the bill.
Besides them, an NGO – Association for the Protection of Civil Rights – has also filed a petition in the apex court, challenging the constitutional validity of the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025. (With inputs from PTI)
