Overview

• The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025, was passed in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha with vote margins of 288-232 and 128-95, respectively, and now awaits Presidential assent to become law.
• Opposition leaders, including AIMIM's Asaduddin Owaisi, Congress MP Mohammad Jawed, and AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan, have filed petitions in the Supreme Court challenging the bill's constitutionality.
• Protests erupted in cities like Kolkata, Chennai, and Ahmedabad, with demonstrators and organizations opposing provisions seen as discriminatory against Muslims and undermining religious autonomy.
• The bill mandates the inclusion of non-Muslim members in Waqf boards and introduces stricter regulations on property donations, which critics argue violate constitutional protections for minority rights.
• The government defends the bill as a measure to enhance transparency and accountability in Waqf property management, while opposition leaders claim it represents state overreach and targets Muslim institutions.