DMK moves Supreme Court against Centre’s Waqf Amendment Act

Days after Narendra Modi-led Central government managed to pass the Waqf Amendment Act in parliament, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) on Monday has filed a petition in the Supreme Court challenging the act.

DMK’s Lok Sabha Whip and Deputy General Secretary, A Raja, has filed a petition on behalf of the party in the apex court. Earlier on 2 April, while addressing the Lok Sabha, he launched a scathing attack on the bill, as he called it a direct threat to minority rights and judicial integrity.

In his address, Raja had criticised Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju’s defence of the bill and accused him of presenting a “cock-and-bull story” to Parliament.

The DMK MP contended that the amendment was an attempt to alter property rights under the guise of reform, adding it would dismantle the existing legal protections for minority institutions.

Not only Raja urged the government to respect India’s secular and constitutional values, he warned them that the bill could have long-term negative consequences for the country’s democratic framework.

“If we want to preserve India’s democratic and secular character, we must stand against attempts to blur the lines between governance and religion,” Raja added.

President Droupadi Murmu on 5 April gave her assent to the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025, which was passed by Parliament after heated debates in both houses.

AIMPLB moves SC:

Not only DMK, even the All India Muslim Personal Law Board has moved the Supreme Court against the constitutional validity of the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025, reported PTI on Monday.

The All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) filed the plea in the top court late 6 April.

SQR Ilyas, the AIMPLB spokesperson, said in a press statement that the petition strongly objected to the amendments passed by Parliament for being "arbitrary, discriminatory and based on exclusion".

Ilyas in the AIMPLB plea added that the law only violated the fundamental rights guaranteed under Articles 25 and 26 of the Constitution of India but also clearly revealed the government's intention to take complete control over the administration of Waqf.

The newly-enacted law deprives Muslims of these fundamental rights, it added.

“The amendments regarding the selection of members of the Central Waqf Council and Waqf Boards stand as stark proof of this deprivation. Additionally, the five-year requirement for a waqif (donor) to be a practising Muslim contradicts both the Indian legal framework and Article 14 and 25 of the Constitution, as well as Islamic Shariah principles,” the statement said.

With agency inputs.