Pleas against Waqf Act: SC hearing likely on April 15; Modi govt files caveat

Over 10 petitions, including those by politicians and the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) and Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind, were filed in the top court challenging the validity of the newly-enacted law. The Centre, however, on Tuesday filed a caveat in the apex court and sought a hearing before any order was passed in the matter.

New Delhi: The Supreme Court may take up next week a batch of petitions challenging the validity of the Waqf Amendment Act, 2025.

According to lawyers, the matter may tentatively come up for hearing on April 15 or 16.

The final cause list is yet to be uploaded on the website detailing the petitions and judges' composition.

In a related development, the Centre filed a caveat in the top court to ensure that the court should not pass any order before hearing it.

RJD MPs Manoj Jha and Faiyaz Ahmad have also filed their petitions challenging the validity of the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025 on the grounds that it facilitated large-scale government interference in Muslim religious endowments.

All the petitioners sought a direction from the Supreme Court for a stay on the Act, besides seeking other prayers, including declaring the amendment as unconstitutional.

So far, more than a dozen petitions have been filed in the Supreme Court against the amendment.

On Monday, the apex court had said it would take up the petitions filed challenging the validity of the Waqf Amendment Act, 2025 in due course.

Among other petitioners are Congress MP Mohammad Jawed, Imran Pratapgarhi, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi, and AAP MLA in Delhi Amanatullah Khan, along with organisations like the Association for Protection of Civil Rights, Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind, Samastha Kerala Jamiyyathul Ulama.

NGO All India Muslim Personal Law Board and political party DMK, through its deputy general secretary A Raja, have filed their respective petitions.