Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju announced that the deadline for registering Waqf properties on the UMEED portal will not be extended. However, those who attempted registration but could not complete it will be exempt from penalties for the next three months.
The Archaeological Survey of India informed the JPC that 280 protected monuments have been listed as Waqf properties.
In FY24, the net income generated from Waqf properties fell to about Rs 1.26 crore from Rs 150 crore in FY20.
'Only because of the absence of a dedication record in writing, how can such properties be treated as located on misappropriated government land?'
The Supreme Court refused to stay a provision barring the declaration of tribal lands as waqf properties, upholding key provisions of the Amended Waqf Act.
The Supreme Court has put on hold several key provisions of the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025, including the clause that only those practicing Islam for the last five years can dedicate a property as Waqf. The court also addressed the powers of collectors and non-Muslim participation in Waqf Boards.
The Centre on Thursday assured the Supreme Court that it will neither denotify Waqf properties, including "Waqf by user", nor make any appointments to the central Waqf council and boards till May 5.
The Centre on Wednesday told the Supreme Court that nobody can claim right over government land and it is legally empowered to reclaim properties which are declared waqf by using the waqf by user principle.
They stated that when a soldier fights for the nation, he does so not as a Hindu, Muslim, or any other religion, but as a patriot.
The committee argued that only the Waqf Board has the right to hear any matter pertaining to the mosque.
Special teams have been formed to investigate the murder of an advocate in Hyderabad, who was killed by an SUV outside his home. Police are questioning multiple people and analysing CCTV footage and call data records. The victim's son alleges the murder is linked to his father's work fighting against encroachment of waqf properties.
A Waqf Board Inspector in Nalgonda district, Telangana, was arrested by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) for allegedly demanding and accepting a bribe of Rs 10,000 to submit a factual report regarding property registration.
Five individuals have been arrested in Ahmedabad, India, for allegedly impersonating trustees and collecting rent for 17 years from properties belonging to two Waqf Board-registered trusts. The accused, who are not actual trustees, constructed around 100 houses and shops on the trust land and collected rent from them, misusing the properties for personal benefits. An FIR has been registered against them for cheating and forging documents.
This disputed the Uttar Pradesh Sunni Waqf Board's claim that the Taj as a Waqf property and that they should get rights over its control and management.
A senior lawyer in Hyderabad, Khaza Moizuddin, died after being hit by an SUV outside his home. Police are investigating a possible murder, with the lawyer's son alleging it was related to his father's work fighting encroachment on waqf properties.
The Indian government has claimed a significant increase in waqf land following the 2013 amendment to the Waqf Act, asserting that the addition of 20 lakh acres raises concerns about potential "misuse" of the provisions. In an affidavit to the Supreme Court, the Centre highlighted a 116% rise in auqaf area after the amendment and urged the dismissal of petitions challenging the Act's validity.
Hyderabad police have arrested six individuals in connection with the murder of advocate Khaza Moizuddin. The motive appears to be a long-standing dispute over Waqf properties and management issues.
A state-level 'Temple Land Protection Conference' was held in Mumbai on Monday, during which participants passed a resolution demanding immediate and unconditional withdrawal of the proposed legislation, the Maharashtra Mandir Mahasangh state in a release.
Khan asserted that he will not allow the central government to take over the waqf properties.
Hyderabad police have arrested six individuals, including a Telangana Congress leader, in connection with the murder of an advocate. The motive appears to stem from long-standing disputes over Waqf properties and management issues.
Puzzled about the Waqf Bill? Syed Firdaus Ashraf explains how the amended Waqf law will plug loopholes in the existing legislation.
The Kerala High Court has criticized the Kerala Waqf Board's claim on land in Munambam as a 'land grabbing tactic' and upheld the government's decision to appoint an inquiry commission to investigate the ownership of the disputed area.
The matter would be heard by Chief Justice B R Gavai and Justice Augustine George Masih.
Underscoring the 'presumption of constitutionality in favour of law', the Supreme Court on Tuesday said petitioners challenging the waqf law needed a 'strong and glaring' case for interim relief.
This was probably the largest such gathering in the country to protest the Waqf (Amendment) Act.
The Supreme Court is scheduled to pronounce interim orders on key issues related to the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025, including the power to denotify waqf properties.
Seeking to allay fears that existing Waqf properties will be subject to scrutiny after the amended Waqf law comes into force, a parliamentary panel on Tuesday recommended that no cases will be reopened against such properties on a retrospective basis, provided the asset is not in dispute or belongs to the government.
The Supreme Court is scheduled to pronounce interim orders on key issues related to the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025, including the power to denotify properties declared as waqf.
As soon as one of the pleas came up for hearing on Friday, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre, objected and said there can't be an "endless" filing of pleas challenging the Act.
The Supreme Court of India has sought responses from the Centre and others on a petition challenging the constitutional validity of certain provisions of the Waqf Act, 1995. The petition argues that the Act gives undue favor to waqf properties and deprives non-Muslims of their property rights. The court has tagged the petition with pending petitions that raise similar issues.
The Supreme Court of India has reserved its interim orders on three key issues related to the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025, including the power to denotify waqf properties, the composition of waqf boards, and the provision regarding government land. The court heard arguments from both the petitioners, who challenged the validity of the amended law, and the Centre, which defended the Act as a secular concept. The petitioners sought interim orders to prevent the implementation of certain provisions while the court considers the legal challenges.
The Supreme Court has upheld the deletion of the 'waqf by user' provision in the amended waqf law, stating it is not arbitrary and addresses potential misuse.
Congress MP Mohammad Jawed and AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi have challenged the validity of the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025 in the Supreme Court, arguing that it violates constitutional provisions. The petitions claim the bill imposes arbitrary restrictions on Waqf properties and their management, undermining the religious autonomy of the Muslim community. They also allege that the bill discriminates against Muslims by imposing restrictions not present in the governance of other religious endowments. The bill was passed in the Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha, with the petitioners arguing that it introduces limitations on the creation of Waqfs based on the duration of one's religious practice, mandates inclusion of non-Muslim members in Waqf administrative bodies, and shifts key administrative functions to government officials, thereby diluting the autonomy of Waqf management.
The Indian government defended the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025 in the Supreme Court, arguing that waqf, while an Islamic concept, is not an essential part of Islam. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta stated that waqf is essentially charity, which is recognized across religions, and cannot be considered a fundamental tenet of any faith. He also argued that the amended law addresses secular aspects of waqf and activities unrelated to Islam, and that "waqf by user" does not grant ownership of public land. Mehta highlighted the extensive consultations involved in the bill's creation, including feedback from various stakeholders. The hearing will continue on Thursday.
The Supreme Court on Monday said the pleas challenging the Waqf (Amendment) Act's constitutional validity will now be taken up by a bench headed by Chief Justice of India-designate Justice B R Gavai on May 15 as the incumbent CJI will be demitting office on May 13.
'So, they have taken away the word Waqf from the Bill.' 'It will now be known as the UMEED Act.'
'When voting clause by clause on Waqf came up in the JPC, the TDP and JD-U supported the BJP on each and every clause.'
The bill aims to include all the Muslims sects in the Waqf board, Rijiju said.
The Supreme Court of India began hearing a batch of petitions challenging the constitutional validity of the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025. The bench, led by Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna, asked both sides to address whether the court should entertain the petitions or relegate them to the high court. The hearing is underway with senior advocate Kapil Sibal arguing for the petitioners. The act, which was passed by Parliament following heated debates, has been challenged by various parties including AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi, All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB), and Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind.
'There's no transparency in work (of the Wakf Board), in property transactions (of the Waqf).'
