Two Opposition Members of Parliament have lodged petitions in the Supreme Court challenging the passage of the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, describing the proposed legislation as “discriminatory towards Muslims.”
The Waqf Bill was approved in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday, with 128 members voting in favor and 95 against. Earlier, it was passed in the Lok Sabha on April 3, receiving support from 288 members and opposition from 232.
Congress MP Mohammad Jawed and AIMIM MP Asaduddin Owaisi have each filed separate petitions challenging the passage of the controversial bill, arguing that its provisions represent a “blatant violation of the fundamental rights of Muslims.”
The Waqf (Amendment) Bill was passed in the Rajya Sabha after a lengthy debate that extended past midnight on Thursday. The bill now awaits President Droupadi Murmu’s assent before it can become law.
In his plea against the bill, the Congress MP Mohammad Jawed contends that it imposes “arbitrary restrictions” on Waqf properties and their management, which he claims undermines the religious autonomy of the Muslim community, as reported by PTI.
Jawed, the Congress whip in the Lok Sabha, also served as a member of the joint parliamentary committee that reviewed the Waqf (Amendment) Bill.
The plea, filed through advocate Anas Tanwir, argues that the bill discriminates against the Muslim community by “imposing restrictions that are not found in the governance of other religious endowments.”
In his plea, Owaisi argues that the provisions of the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025, “brazenly violate the fundamental rights of Muslims and the Muslim community,” according to Live Law.
