The All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) is gearing up for protests against the Waqf Amendment Act. This move comes after the Supreme Court delivered an interim verdict on the amendment. The Personal Law Board is not satisfied with the Supreme Court’s interim decision.
The Muslim Personal Law Board has planned a dharna (sit-in) and mass arrests at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar on September 24th. Additionally, the Board has issued an appeal to Muslims, requesting them to close their offices and shops from 8 am to 2 pm on September 26th.
Furthermore, the Board is urging Muslims to display signs stating “We do not accept the Waqf Amendment Act.” A large rally is scheduled at Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan on November 16th. The Board will also organize घेराव (gherao – siege) of Governor Houses across various states. Appeals have been made throughout the country, calling on Muslims to participate in protests. A march towards Rashtrapati Bhavan (President’s House) against the Waqf Amendment Act is also planned, although the date is yet to be announced.
The Waqf (Amendment) Act-2025, which received presidential assent after being passed by Parliament, is now in effect. However, a petition was filed in the Supreme Court challenging the Waqf Act. The court recently issued an interim order in this regard. The Chief Justice of India (CJI) stated that there is no justification for staying the entire Waqf (Amendment) Act. Nevertheless, certain provisions have been stayed.
In essence, a two-judge bench led by CJI BR Gavai has imposed a temporary stay on specific provisions while hearing five petitions against the Waqf Act.
The Waqf law includes a provision stating that only individuals who have practiced Islam for five years can donate property as Waqf. This is outlined in Section 3 (r). The court has stayed this provision until states establish laws to determine an individual’s Muslim identity.
The court has also put a hold on the provision in Section 3C of the Waqf (Amendment) Act-2025. This section stipulates that a property cannot be considered Waqf until a collector reports that the Waqf declaration does not involve any encroachment.
The Waqf (Amendment) Act 2025 makes provision for the inclusion of non-Muslims in the 11-member Waqf Board. The Supreme Court has ruled that no more than three non-Muslim members can be part of the Waqf Board. However, the court did not stay Section 23 of the Waqf Act. This section deals with the appointment of ex-officio members (CEOs) to Waqf Boards. The court has also advised that, where feasible, a Muslim individual should be appointed to this position.