{"id":54274,"date":"2025-09-16T20:32:19","date_gmt":"2025-09-16T15:02:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/?p=54274"},"modified":"2025-09-18T11:37:32","modified_gmt":"2025-09-18T06:07:32","slug":"sc-upheld-waqf-amendment-act-2025","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/current-affairs\/16-09-2025\/sc-upheld-waqf-amendment-act-2025","title":{"rendered":"SC Upheld Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>Syllabus: GS2\/Polity and Governance<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Context<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The Supreme Court has upheld the <strong>Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025<\/strong> while striking down few provisions and balancing state regulation with minority rights.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-background\" style=\"background-color:#ebecf0\"><tbody><tr><td><strong>Meaning of \u2018Waqf\u2019:<\/strong><br>&#8211; Refers to <strong>properties dedicated solely for religious or charitable purposes<\/strong> under <strong>Islamic law.<\/strong><br>&#8211; <strong>Sale or other use of the property is prohibited.<\/strong><br>&#8211; The ownership of the property is transferred from the person making the Waqf (called waqif) to Allah, making it irrevocable.<br>&#8211; The creator is a <strong>wakif<\/strong>, and the property is managed by a <strong>mutawalli<\/strong>.<br><strong>Origin of the Concept of \u2018Waqf\u2019:<\/strong><br>&#8211; <strong>Traces back to the Delhi Sultanate <\/strong>when <strong>Sultan Muizuddin Sam Ghaor <\/strong>dedicated villages to the Jama Masjid of Multan.<br>&#8211; Waqf properties grew with the rise of Islamic dynasties in India.<br>&#8211; <strong>The Mussalman Waqf Validating Act of 1913 <\/strong>protected the institution of Waqf in India.<br><strong>Constitutional Framework and Governance:\u00a0<\/strong><br>&#8211; <strong>Charitable and religious institutions <\/strong>are under the <strong>Concurrent List of the Constitution, <\/strong>allowing both Parliament and State Legislatures to frame laws on it.<br>&#8211; <strong>Creation of Waqf: <\/strong>Can be created via:<br>1. Declaration (oral or written deed).<br>2. Long-term use of land for religious or charitable purposes.<br>3. Endowment upon the end of a line of succession.<br>&#8211; <strong>States with the highest share of Waqf properties: <\/strong>Uttar Pradesh (27%), West Bengal (9%), Punjab (9%).<br>&#8211; <strong>Evolution of Waqf Laws:<\/strong><br>1. <strong>1913 Act:<\/strong> Validated Waqf deeds.<br>2. <strong>1923 Act:<\/strong> Made registration of Waqf properties mandatory.<br>3. <strong>1954:<\/strong> Established Central Waqf Council and State Waqf Boards for better management.<br>4. <strong>1995 Act: <\/strong>Introduced Tribunals for dispute resolution and added elected members and Islamic scholars to Waqf Boards.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Key Amendments of the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Composition of the Central Waqf Council: <\/strong>The Union Minister in-charge of waqf is the ex-officio chairperson.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Council members include:\u00a0<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Members of Parliament (MPs).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Persons of national eminence.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Retired Supreme Court\/High Court judges.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Eminent scholars in Muslim law.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Removes the Muslim requirement for MPs, former judges, and eminent persons.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It <strong>mandates two non-Muslim members <\/strong>in the Council.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Composition of Waqf Boards:<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Empowers state governments to nominate one person from each group.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Non-Muslim members required: two.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Must include at least one member each from Shias, Sunnis, and Backward Muslim classes.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Requires two Muslim women members.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Composition of Tribunals:<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Removes the expert in Muslim law.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>District Court judge (Chairman).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Joint Secretary rank officer.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Appeals Against Tribunal Orders:<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Act: <\/strong>Decisions of Tribunals are final, with no appeals allowed in courts.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Amendment:<\/strong> Allows appeals against Tribunal decisions to the High Court within 90 days.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Survey of Properties: <\/strong>The Act replaces the Survey Commissioner with the <strong>District Collector or other senior officers <\/strong>to oversee the survey of Waqf properties.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Government property as waqf: <\/strong>It states that any government property identified as waqf will cease to be so.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The Collector of the area will determine ownership in case of uncertainty, if deemed a government property, he will update the revenue records.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Audits:<\/strong> Waqf institutions earning over \u20b91 lakh will undergo audits by state-sponsored auditors.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Centralized Portal:<\/strong> A centralized portal will be created for automating Waqf property management, enhancing efficiency and transparency.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Property Dedication: <\/strong>Practicing Muslims (for at least five years) can dedicate property to the Waqf, restoring pre-2013 rules.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Women&#8217;s Inheritance: <\/strong>Women must receive inheritance before the Waqf declaration, with special provisions for widows, divorced women, and orphans.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Key changes SC has incorporated into the Act<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Practicing Islam: The Court\u2019s<\/strong> most significant intervention <strong>concerns Section 3(r),<\/strong> which requires anyone creating a waqf to demonstrate they have been practising Islam for at<strong> least five years.<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The court stayed the provision until the <strong>government frames rules for determining religious practice.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Collector\u2019s Power Over Waqf Properties: Section 3C empowers<\/strong> the district collectors to determine whether properties claimed as waqf actually belong to the government.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Court\u2019s ruling:<\/strong> Stayed provision that allowed stripping waqf status before inquiry is complete, calling it <strong>\u201cprima facie arbitrary\u201d.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Directed that waqf properties cannot be dispossessed or altered until final decision by Waqf Tribunal and any subsequent appeals.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Representation in Waqf Administration: <\/strong>Its amended Act allowed up to 12 non-Muslims on the Central Waqf Council (22 members) and 7 non-Muslims on state boards (11 members).\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The Court&#8217;s ruling has capped this at 4 (Central) and 3 (State).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>CEOs of Waqf Boards should, \u201cas far as possible\u201d, be Muslims (not mandatory).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>This balance sought transparency &amp; inclusivity vs. minority autonomy in religious affairs.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>\u201cWaqf by User\u201d Deletion: <\/strong>Earlier law allowed declaring property as waqf based on longstanding religious use without formal documents.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Court\u2019s ruling:<\/strong> It upheld deletion, clarified that this change applies only prospectively\u2014existing waqf-by-user properties registered before April 8, 2025, remain protected.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Protected Monuments: <\/strong>The court declined to interfere with provisions declaring waqf status void for properties that are protected monuments or belong to Scheduled Tribes.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>A law made by Parliament carries a presumption of constitutionality unless a court strikes it down.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>While SC refused to stay the Waqf Act, it stayed certain provisions \u201cto protect interest of all parties and balance equities during pendency\u201d.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Source: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehindu.com\/news\/national\/supreme-court-refuses-to-stay-waqf-amendment-act-2025-in-its-entirety\/article70051641.ece\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>TH<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<h3><strong>Context<\/strong><\/h3>\n<li class=\"ms-5\">The Supreme Court has upheld the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025 while striking down few provisions and balancing state regulation with minority rights.<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Key changes SC has incorporated into the Act<\/strong><\/h3>\n<li class=\"ms-5\">Practicing Islam: The Court\u2019s most significant intervention concerns Section 3(r), which requires anyone creating a waqf to demonstrate they have been practising Islam for at least five years.<\/li>\n<li class=\"ms-5\">The court stayed the provision until the government frames rules for determining religious practice.<\/li>\n<li class=\"ms-5\">Collector\u2019s Power Over Waqf Properties: Section 3C empowers the district collectors to determine whether properties claimed as waqf actually belong to the government.<\/li>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/current-affairs\/16-09-2025\/sc-upheld-waqf-amendment-act-2025\" class=\"btn btn-primary btn-sm float-end\">Read\u00a0More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[21],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-54274","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-current-affairs"],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/54274","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=54274"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/54274\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":54299,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/54274\/revisions\/54299"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=54274"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=54274"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=54274"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}