Govt hails SC waqf order, Oppn says ‘vindicated’

'Waqf by user was widely misused to claim govt lanď'

- Vrinda Tulsian Utkarsh Anand

Leaders across party lines on Monday welcomed - though for contrasting reasonsthe Supreme Court's decision to deny suspension of the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025, while ordering a stay on certain provisions of the legislation, with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government hailing the move as a reaffirmation of Parliament's authority and the Opposition describing it as a "vindication of their dissent".

Union minority affairs minister and senior BJP leader Kiren Rijiju hailed the verdict, saying the court's refusal to stay the entire law showed faith in democratic institutions. "We welcome the Supreme Court's order on the Waqf Act. The government's Solicitor General strongly put all the aspects and intentions of the government in the hearings. This is a good sign for our Parliamentary democracy," he said.

"The Government welcomes the Court's observation that reforms such as digitisation, transparency, welfare delivery, and development of properties can and should continue. These measures are essential for ensuring that waqf income is used effectively for education, health, and upliftment of the community," Rijiju said. "The judgment is a step forward in ensuring that waqf assets are protected, developed, and utilised for the welfare of the community and the nation, in line with the objectives of the 2025 reforms."

The Supreme Court on Monday refused to completely suspend the contentious legislation, even as it put a stay on certain provisions, including the amendments empowering collectors to unilaterally determine whether a property claimed as waqf belongs to the government, and the stipulation that only a lawful property owner who has been practising Islam for at least five years may create Waqf through a formal deed.