The All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) has expressed disappointment over the Supreme Court’s interim judgment on the Waqf (Amendment) Act, calling it incomplete and inadequate.
In a statement issued today, Board spokesperson Dr. S. Q. R. Ilyas said that while certain provisions have been stayed, the Court’s decision fell short of addressing the wider constitutional concerns raised by the Muslim community and justice-seeking citizens.
“Although the Court has granted partial relief, it has not addressed the broader issues concerning constitutional rights, leaving us disappointed,” Dr. Ilyas said.
He further added that several crucial provisions, which are arbitrary and contrary to the community’s understanding of waqf, were not stayed at this interim stage. “Given how government functionaries have acted in a prejudiced manner in the past, there is a grave fear that these provisions will be misused until the final judgment is delivered.”
The Supreme Court’s interim relief focused on safeguarding property rights, preventing arbitrary powers, and maintaining the separation of powers.
The Court stayed the provision requiring a government officer’s report to validate waqf ownership, ruling that executive authorities cannot unilaterally decide property rights. It also stayed Section 3C, which would have given government officers the authority to decide who can create a waqf, and halted the provision that allows properties to be derecognised during inquiries.
Additionally, the Court clarified that the revenue officer cannot determine property titles, citing the principle of separation of powers. It also limited external interference by restricting non-Muslim representation in waqf bodies, allowing no more than four non-Muslim members in the Central Waqf Council and three in the State Waqf Boards. The Court stayed the requirement that a person must prove having professed Islam for five years to create a waqf until rules for such determination are framed.
Despite these interventions, the Board remains adamant that the amendment is a deliberate attempt to weaken waqf properties and their management. It has therefore demanded the full repeal of the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025, and the restoration of the earlier Waqf framework. The Board flagged concerns about other provisions that remain in effect, including the de-recognition of 'Waqf by user' and the mandatory requirement of a waqf deed—provisions that contradict Islamic law.
Dr. Ilyas also announced that the Board’s nationwide Save Waqf Campaign will continue with renewed vigor. The second phase, launched on 1 September 2025, includes protests, dharnas, waqf marches, leadership arrests, interfaith conclaves, roundtable discussions, and press briefings.
The campaign is expected to culminate in a massive rally at Ramlila Maidan in Delhi on 16 November 2025, drawing participants from across the country.