Overview

• The Supreme Court has reassigned over 70 petitions challenging the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025, to a bench led by Justice B. R. Gavai, who will assume the role of Chief Justice on May 14.
• Current Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna refrained from issuing any interim orders before his retirement on May 13, citing the need for a detailed hearing.
• The petitions contest key provisions of the amended Act, including the abolition of 'waqf by user', mandatory written declarations for waqf creation, and the inclusion of non-Muslims in waqf governance bodies.
• The Centre defended the amendments in a 1,332-page affidavit, arguing they address misuse of waqf laws and citing a significant increase in waqf land claims since 2013.
• The court has maintained the status quo on waqf appointments and property changes until the next hearing, scheduled for May 15.