AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan moves Supreme Court against Waqf Amendment Bill
AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan on Saturday moved the Supreme Court challenging the constitutional validity of the Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2025 which awaited President Droupadi Murmu’s assent to become an Act after having been passed by both Houses of Parliament.
The Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2025 was passed by the Rajya Sabha during the wee hours of Friday, with 128 members voting in favour and 95 opposing it. The Lok Sabha passed the Bill a day before with 288 members supporting it and 232 against it.
Under the amended law, only self-owned resources can be declared as Waqf after ensuring the inheritance rights of women and children and the DC will determine that land being donated by a Muslim is actually in his ownership.
However, Khan contended that “The Bill violates fundamental rights enshrined under Articles 14, 15, 21, 25, 26, 29, 30, and 300-A of the Constitution. It curtails the religious and cultural autonomy of Muslims, enables arbitrary executive interference, and undermines minority rights to manage their religious and charitable institutions.”
While Articles 14 and 14 relate to right to equality and right to non-discrimination, Article 21 deals with right to life and liberty. Article 25 and Article 26 relate to the right to religion and freedom to manage religious affairs; Article 29 and Article 30 deal with various minority rights.
Khan alleged that the amendment curtailed religious and cultural autonomy of Muslims, enabled arbitrary executive interference and undermined minority rights to manage their religious and charitable institutions.
Khan is the third political leader after Congress MP Mohammad Jawed and AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi to approach the top court against amendment to the Waqf law. An NGO — Association for Protection of Civil Rights — has also moved the top court against the Bill. The DMK and the Congress have also announced that they would challenge the amended Waqf law.
On Friday, there were protests in Kolkata, Chennai and Ahmedabad, with thousands coming out on streets against the amendment.
In Delhi, students of Jamia Millia Islamia protested against the Bill on Friday, calling it communal and unconstitutional.
Manipur’s Imphal Valley also witnessed protests under the banner of Santhel United Development Committee at the Santhel Idgah in Imphal West district.
Delhi