As of today, May 5, 2025, the Supreme Court of India is deliberating on whether to issue an interim order concerning the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025. A three-judge bench, led by Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna, is hearing a consolidated set of five petitions challenging the constitutional validity of the Act. The petitioners argue that the Act infringes upon Article 26 of the Constitution, which guarantees the freedom to manage religious affairs, by interfering with the traditional and historical links of waqfs with Islam .

The central government has defended the Act as a secular law, asserting that it does not interfere with religious practices. In a previous hearing, the government assured the court that it would not denotify any waqf properties or make appointments to the Central Waqf Council and state boards until May 5, 2025 .

Given that Chief Justice Khanna is scheduled to retire on May 13, the bench faces a limited timeframe to conduct a comprehensive hearing on the matter. The court has selected five lead petitions from over 150 submissions to streamline the proceedings .

As of now, no interim order has been issued. The hearing is ongoing, and the court is expected to make a decision on the interim relief sought by the petitioners later today.

Sources