India’s top court temporarily halts implementation of new Muslim endowment law
Supreme Court suspends key provisions of Hindu nationalist-backed legislation seen as undermining Muslim religious rights and property autonomy.
NEW DELHI, India (MNTV) — India’s Supreme Court on Thursday temporarily suspended key provisions of the new Muslim endowment law that was adopted by the parliament recently.
The Muslim Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025, is facing a wave of legal petitions and public protests that argue the legislation threatens Muslim religious rights and property autonomy.
The court restrained the government from appointing non-Muslims to waqf boards and councils, a move seen as unprecedented interference in Muslim religious affairs.
It also ordered a freeze on any changes to waqf property status, including those protected under the long-standing Islamic principle of waqf by user, which recognizes properties as religious endowments through consistent public use.
The court also instructed the Union government to file a reply within seven days, with petitioners allowed five days to review the response.
The next hearing is scheduled for May 5, and until then, the status quo on waqf properties will remain in place.
“This is a significant development, as the Court has made it clear that waqf by user cannot be deleted, and the constitution of Waqf boards will be halted,” said Asaduddin Owaisi, an outspoken critic of the law and a member of the All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen (AIMIM).
Owaisi, who called the Act unconstitutional during its deliberation in Parliament, promised that the legal battle would continue.
The petitions, filed by opposition lawmakers and Muslim leaders, argue that the amended law violates constitutional protections for religious freedom and minority rights.
They accuse Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu nationalist government of weaponizing legal reforms to erode Muslim control over religious properties and institutions.
The Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025, was fast-tracked through Parliament earlier this month, drawing fierce criticism from Muslim organizations, legal experts, and opposition parties.
Many see the law as part of a broader pattern under the BJP government, where policies have increasingly targeted Muslim religious, educational, and cultural institutions across India.
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