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.