New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday (May 15) said it would hear on May 20 for interim relief on pleas challenging the constitutional validity of the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025.
A bench comprising Chief Justice of India (CJI) BR Gavai and Justice Augustine George Masih said that in the meanwhile, the Centre’s assurance earlier given to the court that waqf properties, including “waqf by user”, will not be denotified and no appointments will be made to the central waqf council and boards would continue.
Will be considering the issue of interim relief only on Tuesday: Apex Court
“We will be considering the issue of interim relief only on Tuesday,” CJI Gavai said while adjourning the hearing on the pleas to May 20 and adding, “We will grant two hours to each side.”
Will not consider any plea seeking a stay of provisions of earlier 1995 Waqf Act: Apex Court
The bench also made it clear that it will not consider any plea seeking a stay of provisions of earlier 1995 Waqf Act when the matters are taken up on May 20.
The bench also asked senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for those challenging the constitutional validity of the Waqf law, and Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Centre, to file their written notes by Monday.
Apex court is hearing over 70 petitions challenging constitutional validity of Waqf law
The apex court is hearing over 70 petitions, including petitions filed by AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi, All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB), Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), Congress MPs Imran Pratapgarhi and Mohammad Jawed challenging the constitutional validity of the Waqf law.
Will hear only five of over 70 pleas, apex court on April 17 said
The apex court on April 17 said that it would hear only five of the over 70 pleas challenging the constitutional validity of the Waqf law and titled the case: “In Re: Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025”.
Apex court earlier granted Centre time to file its response and took on record its submissions
The top court on April 17 granted time to the Centre to file its response and recorded the submissions made by the Centre, which strongly opposed before the bench passing of an interim order into the matter without hearing it, that waqf properties, including “waqf by user”, will not be denotified and no appointments will be made to the central waqf council and boards till the next date of hearing (May 5).
Former CJI Sanjiv Khanna-led bench was earlier hearing the matter
The pleas were earlier being heard by a bench headed by former CJI Sanjiv Khanna, who demitted office on May 13, transferred on May 5 the pleas challenging the constitutional validity of the Waqf law to a bench headed by Justice Gavai.
Centre has defended amended 2025 Waqf law
The Centre has filed a preliminary 1,332-page affidavit defending the amended 2025 Waqf law. It has opposed any “blanket stay” on a “law having presumption of constitutionality passed by Parliament” by the court and has urged the apex court to dismiss the pleas challenging the constitutional validity of the amended Waqf Act.
