New Delhi, April 4: All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) Member of Parliament Asaduddin Owaisi has filed a petition in the Supreme Court on Friday, challenging the recently passed Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2025.
The Bill, which has already been approved by both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, is now awaiting the assent of President Droupadi Murmu to become an Act.
Owaisi's petition follows a similar move by Congress leader Mohammad Jawed, who also challenged the Bill in the Supreme Court earlier today.
In his plea, Owaisi argued that the amendments to the Bill would "irreversibly dilute" the legal protections currently provided to Waqfs and their regulatory framework. He contended that the changes confer undue advantages to certain stakeholders and interest groups, undermining years of progress in Waqf management and potentially setting it back by decades.
The petition further pointed out that the amended Bill strips Waqfs of several protections that were previously granted to them, while continuing to extend similar safeguards to Hindu, Jain, and Sikh religious and charitable endowments. This, Owaisi argued, constitutes "hostile discrimination" against Muslims, violating Articles 14 and 15 of the Constitution, which prohibit religious discrimination.
Owaisi’s plea also highlighted that the amendments are contrary to the principle of nonretrogression of rights, a key component of India’s constitutional jurisprudence. According to the petition, the changes reduce community representation and increase the potential for external and executive interference, thereby undermining the democratic functioning of Waqf Boards and infringing upon the self-governing rights of Muslims over their Waqf properties.
As the Bill now awaits the President's approval, the legal challenge by Owaisi and Jawed has intensified the debate over the controversial amendments to the Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2025.
(With agency inputs)
