Indian Court Suspends
Controversial Provisions in Muslim Waqf Law

India’s Supreme Court on Monday suspended
several provisions of the new Waqf law, which has sparked widespread
controversy among the country’s Muslim community, amid allegations that the
government is attempting to strengthen its control over Waqf properties.

According to Anadolu Agency, citing Indian
newspapers, the court rejected a petition to annul the law entirely, instead
temporarily halting certain provisions.

The suspended measures included granting
local administrators the authority to decide on Waqf property ownership and
permitting the establishment of Waqfs for individuals who have been proven
Muslim for at least five years.

At the same time, the court upheld the
requirement for Waqfs to be registered on a central portal, emphasizing that
final determinations regarding property status remain under the jurisdiction of
Waqf courts and higher courts. It also approved limiting non-Muslim members on
Waqf boards to no more than four on the central board and three on local
boards, while affirming that senior officials on these boards must be Muslims.

The Indian government had announced in April
that the law would take effect following its passage in Parliament and
presidential approval—a move described by Islamic organizations and opposition
lawmakers as “a direct attack on Muslims and their religious rights,” prompting
legal challenges.

The amended law seeks to broaden the central
government’s authority over the inspection and administration of Islamic Waqfs,
including religious, educational, and charitable institutions.

Since March, the law has triggered
widespread protests among India’s Muslims, who have called for its repeal and
the protection of their Waqf rights.

(Source: Anadolu Agency)

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