SRINAGAR: The Supreme Court on Monday refused to entertain a new petition challenging the constitutional validity of the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025, stating it cannot entertain “hundreds” of petitions on the issue.
A bench led by Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar directed the petitioner, Syed Ali Akbar, to file an intervention application in five pending cases. These cases will be heard on May 5 for interim orders. The CJI noted, “You withdraw this. We passed an order on April 17 saying only five petitions will be heard.”
On April 17, the bench limited the hearings to five petitions, titled In Re: Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025. Around 72 petitions, including those by Asaduddin Owaisi, AIMPLB, Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind, and others, were filed against the law.
The bench appointed three lawyers as nodal counsel to decide who will argue the case. Petitioners were given five days to file rejoinders to the government’s reply. The next hearing on May 5 will focus on preliminary objections and interim orders.
The Centre assured the Court on April 17 that it would not denotify waqf properties or make appointments to the central waqf council until May 5. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta stated the law was passed with “due deliberations” and should not be stayed without hearing the government.
The Union Ministry of Minority Affairs later filed a 1,332-page affidavit defending the amended Waqf Act, opposing any “blanket stay” and urging the Court to dismiss the petitions. The Act was notified after receiving President Droupadi Murmu’s assent on April 5.
