Overview

• The Supreme Court, led by Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna, is hearing multiple petitions challenging the constitutional validity of the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025.
• Key provisions under scrutiny include the de-notification of waqf properties, the redefinition of 'waqf by user,' and the inclusion of non-Muslims in Waqf Boards.
• Violent protests in West Bengal's Murshidabad and Tamil Nadu's Vellore have resulted in deaths, displacement, and heightened communal tensions.
• The court has proposed interim measures to prevent de-notification of waqf properties and maintain Muslim-majority Waqf Boards during the legal review.
• The government defends the Act as a necessary reform to address mismanagement, while critics argue it undermines religious autonomy and constitutional rights.