Author:- RUCHI KOL
COLLEGE:- UNIVERSITY OF ALLAHABAD
ABSTRACT:-
Waqf is an Islamic concept of charity where a Muslim dedicates his property for religious or charitable purposes in the name of Allah. In India, Waqf properties are the third largest land-holding after Indian Railways and Indian Army, covering approx 9.4 lakh acres with over 8.7 lakh properties. To regulate this huge property, the Government of India brought the Waqf Act, 1995 and amended it in 2013. However, allegations of encroachment, mismanagement, and illegal sale of Waqf lands led to the introduction of the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, which was sent to a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) headed by Jagdambika Pal. After JPC report, Parliament passed the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025 in early April 2025, which received President’s assent on 8th April 2025. The Act has been challenged in Supreme Court by 72 petitioners including AIMIM, AAP, RJD and Muslim organizations. On 15th September 2025, a bench headed by CJI B.R. Gavai refused to stay the entire Act but stayed 3 key controversial provisions. This article analyses the new provisions, the constitutional challenges under Article 25, 26, 14, and the future of Waqf management in India.
TO THE POINT:-
Simple shabdon me samjho ki Waqf Amendment Act, 2025 me kya badla?
OLD LAW (1995 Act) me kya tha?
1. Koi bhi Muslim apni property ko Waqf de sakta tha.
2. Waqf 3 tarah se banta tha: Waqf by Deed (likh kar), Waqf by User (lambe samay se Masjid/Kabristan use ho raha hai to Waqf maan liya jata tha), Waqf by Waqf-alal-Aulad.
3. Waqf Board me sirf Muslim members hote the.
4. Agar Waqf Board kisi property ko Waqf declare kar de, to use challenge sirf Waqf Tribunal me hota tha, Collector ka koi role nahi tha.
NEW LAW (2025 Amendment) me kya badla?
Government ne kaha ki Waqf Boards ne sarkari zameeno par kabza kar liya hai, isliye 4 bade badlav kiye gaye:
Badlav 1 – Section 3(r) – 5 Saal ka Islam Practice Rule: Ab koi bhi vyakti tabhi Waqf bana sakta hai jab wo kam se kam 5 saal se Islam ko practice kar raha ho. Government ka logic: Koi non-Muslim karz se bachne ke liye raat-o-raat Muslim bankar apni property Waqf me daan na kar de.
Badlav 2 – Waqf-by-User ko khatam karna: Ab Waqf-by-User ka concept khatam kar diya gaya hai. Matlab sirf isliye ki 100 saal se koi jagah masjid ke roop me use ho rahi hai, use Waqf nahi maana jayega, jab tak uska registered Waqf Deed (Waqf Nama) na ho. Government ka logic: Is provision ka galat istemal karke kisi ki bhi private property ko Waqf declare kar diya jata tha.
Badlav 3 – Section 3C – Collector ka Power: Sabse vivadit. Agar Waqf Board kisi sarkari property ko Waqf declare karta hai, to uski janch ab Waqf Tribunal nahi, balki Collector (Government Officer) karega. Aur jab tak Collector ki janch chal rahi hai, tab tak us property ko Waqf nahi maana jayega.
Badlav 4 – Section 14 – Non-Muslim Members: Central Waqf Council aur State Waqf Boards me ab non-Muslim members bhi ho sakte hain. Central Council me 22 me se 4 non-Muslim aur State Board me 11 me se 3 non-Muslim.
Isi ko Supreme Court me challenge kiya gaya hai ki ye Article 25 (Freedom of Religion) aur Article 26 (Right of Religious Denominations to manage their affairs) ka violation hai.
USE OF LEGAL JARGON:-
Is Act ko samajhne ke liye aapko ye 5 legal concepts samajhne honge:
1. Waqf-alal-Khair vs Waqf-alal-Aulad: Waqf-alal-Khair ka matlab hai public welfare ke liye Waqf (Masjid, Madrasa, Kabristan). Waqf-alal-Aulad ka matlab hai apni family ke liye Waqf, jiska ultimate benefit gareebon ko jaye. New Act dono par lagu hota hai.
2. Doctrine of Waqf-by-User: Ye Islamic law ka purana siddhant hai. Agar koi property lambe samay se religious purpose ke liye use ho rahi hai, to use Waqf maan liya jata hai, chahe Waqf Deed na ho. Supreme Court ne Masjid Shahid Ganj case me ise maana tha. New Act ne ise prospective tarike se delete kiya hai, matlab pehle se registered Waqf-by-User par asar nahi padega, lekin future me naya Waqf-by-User nahi banega.
3. Separation of Powers – Article 50: Constitution ka basic principle hai ki ek sarkari officer (Collector – Executive) judge ka kaam (Judicial) nahi kar sakta. Petitioners ka argument tha ki Collector ko ye power dena ki wo decide kare ki property Waqf hai ya sarkari, ye Separation of Powers ke khilaf hai. Supreme Court ne is argument ko mana aur Section 3C ko stay kar diya. 9bf9
4. Article 25 and 26 – Freedom of Religion: Article 25 har vyakti ko dharm maanne ka adhikar deta hai. Article 26 har religious denomination ko apne religious affairs manage karne ka adhikar deta hai. Petitioners ka kehna hai ki Waqf ek Islamic religious affair hai, to usme non-Muslim members ko rakhna Article 26 ka violation hai. Government ka jawab hai ki Waqf Board ek secular administrative body hai, religious body nahi, isliye non-Muslim aa sakte hain.
5. Presumption of Constitutionality: Supreme Court ne apne Interim Order me kaha ki “Presumption is always in favour of constitutionality of a statute and intervention can be done only in rarest of rare cases”. Iska matlab kanoon ko tab tak sahi maana jayega jab tak final hearing me galat prove na ho jaye. Isliye Court ne pure Act par stay dene se mana kar diya. f1a1
THE PROOF – How to Prove Waqf is Valid After 2025 Act?
New Act ke baad Waqf prove karna mushkil ho gaya hai. Ab 3 cheezon ka proof dena padega:
Proof 1: Proof of 5 Years Practice – Section 3(r): Ab Waqf banane wale ko ye prove karna hoga ki wo 5 saal se Islam practice kar raha hai. Lekin problem ye hai ki iska koi mechanism nahi hai. Isiliye Supreme Court ne is provision par stay laga diya hai jab tak State Government iske liye rules nahi banati. f1a1
Proof 2: Proof of Ownership: Ab Waqf-by-User khatam hone se, aapko registered Waqf Deed (Waqf Nama) dikhana hoga. Aur agar aapke paas Waqf Nama nahi hai, to aapka Waqf invalid ho sakta hai. Iske liye aapko revenue records, 1923 se pehle ke documents dikhane honge.
Proof 3: Proof Against Collector Inquiry: Agar Collector ne aapki Waqf property ko sarkari property declare kar diya, to ab aapko Waqf Tribunal me jana hoga jo Section 83 ke tahat bana hai (Judicial Officer + Senior Bureaucrat + Muslim Law Expert). Tribunal ke faisle ke khilaf High Court me appeal hogi. Supreme Court ne kaha hai ki jab tak Tribunal faisla nahi karta, Collector ki report ke dauraan kisi third party ka right nahi banega. 69e6
CASE LAWS:-
1. Association for Democratic Reforms & Ors. v. Union of India – Waqf Amendment Interim Order, 15th Sept 2025 (CJI B.R. Gavai Bench): Is case me Supreme Court ne kaha ki pura Waqf Act stay nahi hoga. Lekin 3 provisions par stay lagaya: (a) 5 saal Islam practice wala rule, (b) Collector ko title decide karne ki power – Section 3C(2) proviso, 3C(3), 3C(4), (c) Non-Muslim members ki sankhya – Central Council me 4 se zyada aur State Board me 3 se zyada non-Muslim nahi honge. Ye judgment is article ka sabse latest case law hai. 9bf9f1a1
2. M. Siddiq (D) Thr. LRs. v. Mahant Suresh Das, (2019) 12 SCC 448 (Ayodhya Case): Is case me Supreme Court ne kaha ki Waqf-by-User ek valid legal concept hai aur ek baar Waqf hamesha Waqf rehta hai.
3. Fazlul Rabbi Pradhan v. State of West Bengal, 1965: Supreme Court ne kaha ki Waqf Board ka kaam secular hai – property manage karna, isliye usme non-Muslims ka hona Article 26 ka violation nahi hai. Government isi case ka sahara le rahi hai.
4. S.R. Bommai v. Union of India, (1994) 3 SCC 1: Secularism is part of Basic Structure. Petitioners ka argument hai ki Waqf Act me non-Muslim ko include karna secularism ke naam par Waqf ke religious character ko khatam karna hai.
5. Masjid Shahid Ganj v. Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, AIR 1940 Privy Council: Privy Council ne Waqf-by-User ko pehli baar legally recognize kiya tha.
CONCLUSION:-
Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025 ek taraf Government ke liye transparency aur accountability laane ka kadam hai, to dusri taraf Muslim samuday ke liye apne dharmik adhikaron par hamla hai.
Supreme Court ka 15th September 2025 ka interim order ek balanced order hai. Court ne na to pura Act stay kiya (Government ki jeet) aur na hi petitioners ki sabhi maange maan li. Court ne Collector Raj ko rok kar Separation of Powers ko bachaya aur 5 saal wale arbitrary rule par rok laga kar Article 14 ko bachaya.
Final faisla abhi aana baaki hai, jo 2026 me aayega. Lekin tab tak ke liye law students ke liye ye samajhna zaroori hai ki Waqf sirf property ka mamla nahi hai, ye Article 25, 26 aur Secularism ka mamla hai. Future me Waqf Boards ka structure badlega aur Waqf prove karna mushkil hoga.
Ek law student ke roop me humein ye dekhna hoga ki kya Government ka Waqf-by-User ko khatam karna sahi hai, kyunki India me hazaron masjidein bina registered deed ke 200 saal se Waqf-by-User se hi chal rahi hain.
FAQ:
Q1. Kya Waqf Amendment Act, 2025 pura lagu ho gaya hai?
Haan, President ka assent 8 April 2025 ko mil gaya tha. Lekin Supreme Court ne 3 provisions par interim stay laga diya hai, baaki Act lagu hai. 844a
Q2. Kya meri pehle se registered Waqf property khatam ho jayegi?
Nahi. Supreme Court ne kaha hai ki Waqf-by-User ko delete karna prospective hai, retrospective nahi. Matlab jo pehle se registered hai, wo Waqf hi rahega. 9bf9
Q3. Waqf Board me kitne non-Muslim ho sakte hain ab?
Supreme Court ke interim order ke baad, Central Waqf Council me 4 se zyada non-Muslim nahi aur State Waqf Board me 3 se zyada non-Muslim nahi ho sakte.
