Disturbed With Violence During Protests Against Waqf Amendment Act : Supreme Court

At the end of today's two-hour hearing on the constitutionality of the Waqf(Amendment) Act, 2025, the Chief Justice of India, Sanjiv Khanna, appealed to the people against resorting to violence. "One thing is very disturbing, the violence taking place. Once the matter is before the Court... this should not happen...we will decide," CJI said. Last week, the protests held in Murshidabad (West Bengal) against the Act had led to violence, reportedly killing three persons.A bench comprising CJI, Justice Sanjay Kumar and KV Viswanathan is currently apprised of more than 70 petitions challenging the 2025 Act. There is one petition challenging the constitutionality of the Parent Act, the Waqf Act, 1995, as well. Intervention applications have been filed by five BJP-led States: Assam, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Uttarakhand, Haryana and Maharashtra, supporting the legislation.Solicitor General of India, Tushar Mehta, also responded by saying: "This is the phenomenon that you can pressurise a system by violence."To this, Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal, who was the first to lead the arguments today, remarked: "I don't know who is pressuring who."Other advocates also appealed against the violence. The Court will continue to hear the matter tomorrow at 2 pm and also requested parties to highlight the "positive" aspect of the 2025 Act.The first ten petitions that were initially listed for hearing are by AIMIM MP Asaduddin Owaisi, Delhi AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan, Association for Protection of Civil Rights, Jamiat Ulema-i-Hind President Arshad Madani, Samastha Kerala Jamiatul Ulema, Anjum Kadari, Taiyyab Khan Salmani, Mohammad Shafi, Mohammad Fazlurrahim and RJD MP Manoj Kumar Jha.Common provisions challenged in all petitionsOmission of 'waqf by user' provision, inclusion of non-Muslim members in the Central Waqf Council and State Waqf Board, limiting the inclusion of women members to two in the Council and Boards, pre-condition of 5 years as practising Muslim for create of waqf, diluting waqf-alal-aulad, renaming 'Waqf Act, 1995 to "Unifed Waqf Management, Empowerment, Efficiency and Development," appeal against the Tribunal's order, allowing Government to disputes regarding encroachment of government property, application of Limitation Act to Waqf Act, invalidating Waqf created over ASI protected monuments, restrictions on creating Waqfs over scheduled areas etc., are some of the provisons under challenge.Read Today's Report On Hearing: Waqfs Declared By Courts Shouldn't Be Affected : Supreme Court Proposes To Pass Interim Order On Waqf Amendment Act ChallengeCase Details: ASADUDDIN OWAISI v. UNION OF INDIA|W.P.(C) No. 269/2025 and others

Disturbed With Violence During Protests Against Waqf Amendment Act : Supreme Court

Gursimran Kaur Bakshi

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