SC defers hearing on petitions against Waqf Amendment Act to May 15

New Delhi:The Supreme Court on Monday postponed the hearing on a batch of petitions challenging the Waqf (Amendment) Act. The matter will now be taken up on May 15, as the bench noted it had not yet fully examined the government's affidavit on the issue. The Supreme Court has postponed the hearing on a batch of petitions challenging the Waqf (Amendment) Act. The matter will now be taken up on May 15, as the bench noted it had not yet fully examined the government's affidavit on the issue. 

The current Chief Justice of India, Justice Sanjiv Khanna, is set to retire on May 13, and the case will now be listed before a new bench led by Justice B.R. Gavai, who is scheduled to take oath as the next Chief Justice on May 14. The batch of pleas include the one filed by AIMIM chief and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi.

The petitions have



drawn national attention as they question the constitutional validity and implications of the amended Waqf law, particularly in matters of land ownership and religious endowments. The outcome of this legal battle could have wide-reaching consequences, and all eyes are now on the new CJI-led bench which will take it up mid-May. Earlier on April 17, the Centre had assured the apex court that it would neither denotify waqf properties, including "waqf by user", nor make any appointments to the Central Waqf Council and boards till May 5.

The Centre had also strongly opposed the apex court's proposal to pass an interim order against the denotification of Waqf properties, including 'waqf by user', aside from staying a provision allowing the inclusion of non-Muslims in the Central Waqf Council and boards.