Waqf Bill an Internal Matter, Aims to Be Inclusive and Progressive: MEA
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Thursday reaffirmed that the Waqf (Amendment) Act is an internal matter of India and emphasized that the legislation is designed to be more inclusive and progressive, with the objective of benefiting its intended beneficiaries.
Addressing a weekly press briefing, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated, “All the elements of the Waqf Bill are an internal matter of India. The Waqf Amendment Bill proposes several inclusive provisions to make the law more progressive and ensure greater benefits for its intended recipients.”
His remarks came amid ongoing hearings in the Supreme Court on petitions challenging the constitutional validity of the Waqf Act.
During Thursday’s hearing, the Supreme Court recorded the Centre’s request for additional time to file its detailed response. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Centre, assured the court that a preliminary reply along with supporting documents would be submitted within seven days.
The court also took note of the Solicitor General’s commitment that no new appointments will be made to the Waqf Board or Council until the matter is further heard. Furthermore, it instructed that no new Waqf properties should be identified during this interim period—properties already registered or notified by the government will remain as is.
Mehta described the Waqf Act as a “considered piece of legislation” and informed the court that the government had received numerous representations concerning how lands were classified as Waqf properties. He also cautioned that putting a stay on the entire Act would be a significant step and requested one week’s time to present the government’s full reply.
The Supreme Court noted that it had previously acknowledged some provisions of the Act as positive and clarified that a complete stay on the legislation was not warranted at this stage. The bench stated that it wished to maintain status quo until the case progresses further.
Multiple petitions have been filed in the apex court challenging the Act, with petitioners arguing that the legislation discriminates against the Muslim community and violates their fundamental rights.
President Droupadi Murmu gave her assent to the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025, on April 5. The Bill was earlier passed by both Houses of Parliament following extensive debates.
