GUWAHATI: A Kerala-based Hindu organisation, the Sree Narayana Manava Dharmam Trust, has approached the Supreme Court seeking to intervene in ongoing petitions challenging the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025. The trust, formed in 2023 to propagate the values of social reformer Sree Narayana Guru, argued that the law threatens the survival of the Muslim community in India and undermines constitutional guarantees.
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The intervention plea has stated that the amended act has effectively abolished the Waqf system by removing Islamic law as its governing principle. It alleged that the new law imposes a unique, state-designed regulatory mechanism on Muslim charitable endowments, replacing centuries-old religious traditions.
In its plea, the trust has contended that the amended legislation violates Articles 21, 25, 26 and 29(1) of the Constitution, which protect the right to life, religious freedom, and the right of minorities to preserve their culture. It has claimed that by stripping the Muslim community of economic resources essential to its religious practice, the act undermines social justice and communal harmony.
Therefore, the trust stated that in line with the inclusive teachings of Sree Narayana Guru, it cannot remain silent on a development that endangers the constitutional rights of any religious community.
Filed through advocate Vaibhav Choudhary and settled by advocate G. Mohan Gopal, the matter was originally listed before a bench comprising Chief Justice of India (CJI) Sanjiv Khanna, and Justices PV Sanjay Kumar and KV Viswanathan.
Petitions Challenging Waqf Amendment Act 2025 Transferred To New Bench
In a related development, the Supreme Court also informed on Monday, May 5, that petitions challenging the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025, will now be heard by a bench headed by Justice BR Gavai, instead of the current bench led by Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna.
The development has taken place as CJI Khanna is due to retire on May 13, and the matter is expected to require extensive hearings even at the interim stage. The case will now be heard on May 14.
During the hearing, CJI Khanna observed that while all submissions had been reviewed, a thorough and reasoned order could not be passed within the remaining time of his tenure. “I do not want to reserve any judgment or order even in the interim stage. This matter has to be heard on any reasonable day,” he remarked.
Petitions against the Act have been filed by multiple individuals, including Congress MP Mohammad Jawed and AIMIM MP Asaduddin Owaisi. They have argued that the amendments discriminate against Muslims and undermine their constitutional right to manage religious affairs.
Meanwhile, six BJP-ruled states — Haryana, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, and Assam — have filed intervention applications in support of the law, claiming it curbs misuse of waqf provisions to encroach on public and private land.
The Centre, in its response, has also defended the law, stating that the removal of "waqf by user" aims to prevent unverified claims over properties. It maintained that the amendment does not restrict religious dedication but formalises it within legal limits.
