Waqf Board

UP in 2025: Waqf reforms, madrasa overhaul, mosque disputes shape politics

An order for eateries to display their names, termed "religious profiling" by a section, police arrests over 'I Love Mohammad' banners, and waqf property registration hogged the headlines in Uttar Pradesh for a good part of the year. The Uttar Pradesh government persisted in framing laws for the mosques and other Muslim structures, moves that only met with tacit approval from the community, and at times outright rejection. During July-August, Hindu activists inspecting roadside eateries along the Kanwar Yatra route sparked a controversy. All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi criticised the action, alleging that goons also forced dhaba owners on the Delhi-Dehradun highway to lower their pants to ascertain their religion. Former Samajwadi Party MP S T Hasan condemned the rule that stipulated that eateries along the Kanwar Yatra route display their credentials. In April, the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025, was implemented after completion of the consultati

No exemption to Muslim Waqf institutions from paying court fees: Gujarat HC

In a significant judgment, the Gujarat High Court on Wednesday rejected nearly 150 petitions from Muslim Waqf institutions seeking exemption from payment of fees to the State Waqf Tribunal to access a court of law. Justice JC Doshi dismissed the petitions, many of which involved contested rent claims, possession disputes, and rights of occupancy over key properties across the state. Waqf trusts such as Sunni Muslim Idgah Masjid Trust, the Vadodara Saher Masjid Sabha Trust, and the Sarkhej Roza Committee in Ahmedabad, had challenged orders of the Gujarat State Waqf Tribunal requiring payment of court fees before their disputes could be heard. The court observed that they had sought reliefs before the tribunal which were adversarial in character wherein rights and obligations of contesting parties are required to be judicially determined. "An application instituted under section 83 of the Waqf Act, forming part of the judicial proceedings contemplated under Chapter VIII thereof, ...

Elections, amendments and agitations: The political story of India in 2025

India's political landscape saw many changes in 2025, with big election wins, new laws, protests and major diplomatic moves shaping the discourse. Here's a look at key events

Over 517K Waqf properties registered on UMEED portal; 216K approved

A total of 5.17 lakh Waqf properties were initiated on the UMEED portal while 2,16,905 properties were approved by the designated approvers during the six-month window provided, according to the data provided by the Ministry of Minority Affairs. The UMEED Central Portal for management of Waqf Properties in India, launched by Union Minister of Minority Affairs Kiren Rijiju on June 6, 2025, officially closed for uploads on December 6, 2025, completing its six-month window, as per the UMEED Act, 1995 and the clear directions of the Supreme Court. In the final count, the momentum significantly accelerated as the deadline approached, the ministry said in a statement. Many review meetings, training workshops, and high-level interventions even at the secretary-level injected renewed pace into the process, making the upload surge in the last hours, it said. According to the data provided by the ministry, 5,17,040 Waqf properties were initiated on the portal with 2,16,905 properties approve

No penalties for delayed Waqf registration for next 3 months: Kiren Rijiju

Rijiju said that several MPs and social leaders had requested an extension of the deadline, which is December 5, but the Supreme Court declined to grant it after the six-month deadline

Govt committed to strengthening Waqf management across country: Rijiju

Rijiju on Tuesday added that for any grievances or issues related to Waqf properties, the UMEED Act provides a clear remedial mechanism

SC to hear pleas on Dec 1 seeking more time for Waqf registration

The Supreme Court on Friday agreed to hear on December 1 various pleas, including the one filed by All India Muslim Personal Law Board, seeking extension of time for the mandatory registration of all waqf properties, including 'waqf by user', under the UMEED portal. A bench comprising Justices Dipankar Datta and Augustine George Masih took note of the submissions of lawyer Fuzail Ahmad Ayyubi, appearing for one of the petitioners, that the pleas needed to be listed for hearing urgently. List these applications along with I.A. Noon December 01, 2025, the bench said. Besides All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB), AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi and various others have moved the top court, seeking extension of time for mandatory registration of all waqf properties. Earlier, a lawyer had said the six-month period for the mandatory registration of waqf was nearing its end. In an interim order on September 15, the top court put on hold a few key provisions of the waqf (Amendment) A

Waqf Act promise: Can Tejashwi deliver if Mahagathbandhan wins Bihar polls?

Tejashwi Yadav accused Chief Minister Nitish Kumar of allowing the Bharatiya Janata Party and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh to enter Bihar's political landscape

SC to hear pleas on deadline of waqf property registration on Oct 28

The Supreme Court has listed for October 28 hearing on a plea of AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi seeking extension of time for mandatory registration of all waqf properties, including waqf-by-users under the UMEED portal. A bench comprising Chief Justice B R Gavai and Justice K Vinod Chandran was urged by lawyer Nizam Pasha that the plea needed urgent listing as the six months mandatory time period was nearing the end. On Tuesday, another similar plea was mentioned for urgent hearing along with Owasi's plea on October 28. The bench said it would consider listing the fresh one as well. In an interim order, the top court had on September 15 put on hold a few key provisions of the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025, including a clause that only those practising Islam for the last five years could create waqf, but refused to stay the entire law outlining the presumption of constitutionality in its favour. It also held the Centre's order to delete the "waqf by user" provision in the newly-amende

SC agrees to hear plea seeking more time for waqf property registration

The Supreme Court on Thursday agreed to list an application seeking extension of time for mandatory registration of all waqf properties, including waqf-by-users under the UMEED portal. In an interim order, the top court had on September 15 put on hold a few key provisions of the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025, including a clause that only those practising Islam for the last five years could create Waqf, but refused to stay the entire law outlining the presumption of constitutionality in its favour. It also held the Centre's order to delete the "waqf by user" provision in the newly-amended waqf law was prima facie not arbitrary and the argument that waqf lands would be grabbed by governments held no water. Waqf by user refers to a practice where a property is recognised as a religious or charitable endowment (waqf) based on its long-term, uninterrupted use for such purposes, even if there isn't a formal, written declaration of waqf by the owner. On Thursday, a bench headed by Chief Just

Tamil Nadu to retain Waqf Board structure till SC verdict: Minister Nasar

Minister for Minorities and Non-Resident Tamils Welfare, S M Nasar, on Saturday asserted that the Tamil Nadu Waqf Board will not be reconstituted till such time the Supreme Court pronounces its final judgment on the challenge to the Waqf law amendment. Since the Waqf Amendment Act related petitions are pending before the Supreme Court, "till such time the final verdict is pronounced, the State Waqf Board will not be reconstituted as per the Waqf Amendment Act, which was hastily enforced by the Union government," Nasar said here in an official release. The minister said the DMK government continuously opposed tampering with the Waqf law and the state government also went to the Supreme Court challenging the amendment and the top court has passed an interim order on September 15, 2025 staying select provisions of the Waqf Amendment Act. According to the Centre, the Unified Waqf Management, Empowerment, Efficiency and Development (UMEED) Act, 2025, the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025 aims t

Datanomics: SC gives ASI edge as Waqf stakes claim on 7% of monuments

SC upholds that ASI-protected monuments cannot be classified as Waqf property, impacting 254 sites nationwide, including major mosques and tombs under Waqf boards

Explained | SC's interim order on Waqf Act: What’s stayed & what’s not

The Supreme Court of India has issued an interim order on the controversial Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025. While it refused to put the entire Act on hold, the court stayed some provisions that sparked

SC on Waqf Act, China’s economic slowdown, India’s trade deficit narrows & more top #newsinamin

The Supreme Court on Monday stayed two contentious provisions of the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025

Congress hails SC order on Waqf as win for justice, equality, fraternity

The Congress on Monday welcomed the Supreme Court order putting on hold several key provisions of the Waqf (Amendment) Act as a win for the constitutional values of justice, equality, and fraternity, and asserted that it goes a long way towards undoing the "mischievous intentions" underlying the original statute. Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said the Supreme Court's order on the Waqf (Amendment) Act 2025 represents a substantial victory not just for the parties that opposed this arbitrary law in Parliament but all those members of the Joint Parliamentary Committee who submitted detailed dissent notes which were then ignored but now stand vindicated. "The Order is an important one because it goes a long way towards undoing the mischievous intentions underlying the original statute," Ramesh said on X. Counsels for the opposition parties had argued that the law would result in the creation of a structure where anyone and everyone could challenge the

Supreme Court stays Waqf Act rule on govt officer deciding encroachment

The Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025 was passed by Parliament in early April and notified on April 8. The Supreme Court has today stayed provisions on Collector's powers and the five-year practice rule

Waqf Amendment: SC to pronounce interim order on three key issues on Monday

The Supreme Court is slated to pronounce on Monday its interim orders on three key issues, including the power to denotify properties declared as "waqf by courts, waqf-by-user or waqf by deed", which cropped up during the hearing of pleas challenging the validity of the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025. A bench headed by Chief Justice B R Gavai on May 22 reserved the interim orders on these issues after hearing both sides in the waqf case. According to the cause list of September 15 uploaded on the apex court website, the court will deliver its order in the matter. One of the issues relate to the power to denotify properties declared as "waqf by courts, waqf-by-user or waqf by deed" prescribed in the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025. Before reserving the interim order, the bench heard arguments by advocates appearing for those challenging the amended waqf law, and Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Centre, on three consecutive days. The bench previously identified the three issu

Supreme Court to give interim order on Waqf Act issues on September 15

These include the power to denotify properties declared as "waqf by courts, waqf-by-user or waqf by deed."

SC declines urgent hearing on plea against mandatory waqf listing on UMEED

The Supreme Court on Friday refused to urgently list for hearing an interim plea challenging mandatory registration of all waqfs, including waqf-by-users under the UMEED portal. The Centre had on June 6 launched the Unified Waqf Management, Empowerment, Efficiency and Development Act, 1995 (UMEED) Central Portal to create a digital inventory after geo-tagging all Waqf properties. As per the mandate of the UMEED portal, details of all registered Waqf properties across India are to be mandatorily uploaded within six months. On May 22, a bench headed by Chief Justice B Gavai had reserved interim orders on three key issues in the waqf case. One of the issues relate to the power to denotify properties declared as waqf by courts, waqf-by-user or waqf by deed prescribed in Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025. On Friday, a lawyer told the bench that the Centre has the portal which calls for mandatory registration of all waqfs, including waqfs by users. The lawyer said that requirements are such

SC declines plea seeking transfer of Waqf Act petition from Delhi HC

The Supreme Court on Tuesday declined to entertain a plea seeking transfer of a petition challenging the 1995 Waqf Act from the Delhi High Court to the apex court. A bench headed by Chief Justice B R Gavai said that courts are increasingly being used for generating newspaper headlines rather than genuine legal redress. The bench, which also comprised Justices K Vinod Chandran and N V Anjaria, made sharp remarks while hearing a transfer petition filed by advocate Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay. The petition sought to move his challenge to various provisions of the Waqf Act from the Delhi High Court to the Supreme Court. "This issue is already pending before this court. Why do you want more petitions," the CJI asked at the outset. The bench noted that an earlier bench led by then CJI Sanjiv Khanna had already set a clear timeline for admitting such challenges. The court had also permitted fresh petitioners to file intervention applications in the ongoing batch of 11 petitions challenging .