Waqf Amendment Bill

The Centre told the Supreme Court that waqf is an Islamic charity, not a religious essential, and that the Waqf Board performs secular functions like property management. The 2025 Amendment aims to curb misuse and protect women’s inheritance rights.

Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal told the Supreme Court court that though the 2025 Act claims to be for protection of waqf, it was “in reality… designed to capture waqf through a process which is non-judicial… executive.”

According to AIMPLB, the amended law deprives the Muslim community of the right to manage their own religious endowments.

The Supreme Court has temporarily halted certain provisions of the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025, including the inclusion of non-Muslims in Waqf boards and the removal of 'waqf by user' recognition.

Describing the recent episodes of violence in the Murshidabad and Malda districts of West Bengal as the "dance of death", WB Governor CV Ananda Bose on Friday strongly condemned the acts, stating that such incidents cannot be tolerated.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) slammed Bangladesh over its condemnation of the violence in West Bengal's Murshidabad, calling Dhaka's take on the matter as "unwarranted comments" and "virtue signalling".

MEA said Waqf (Amendment) Act is an internal matter of India and stressed that the amendments aim to make the law more progressive and inclusive, focusing on benefiting the intended beneficiaries.

Centre has assured the Supreme Court there will be "no Waqf appointments... no change in status" till the next hearing of a clutch of petitions challenging the changes to laws governing administration of Muslim charitable properties in the country.

The West Bengal Police has formed a nine-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate the recent violent clashes in Murshidabad district over the Waqf (Amendment) Act.

Days after violent clashes erupted in West Bengal’s Murshidabad district over the Waqf (Amendment) Act, hundreds remain displaced and sheltered in relief camps.