CHENNAI: Chief Minister MK Stalin on Monday said that the Supreme Court’s order staying certain key amendments to the Waqf Act strengthens the hope that people place in SC to safeguard the religious rights of the Muslim community and to uphold the Constitution.
The CM, in a post on X, said, “The SC has given this order on writ petitions filed by the DMK and others challenging the amendments to the Waqf Act. This order is a major step towards undoing the unconstitutional and illegal amendments made by the BJP-led union government.”
Stalin recalled that the DMK has been consistently opposing these amendments ever since the Bill was introduced in Parliament. “After it became an Act, the DMK challenged it in the SC and succeeded, alongside others. The DMK government also passed a resolution in the Assembly urging the union government to withdraw the Waqf Amendment Bill, countering the BJP’s attempt to misuse governmental power,” he added.
The amendments to the Waqf Act, stayed by the Supreme Court, include the “mandatory five-year practice requirement before dedicating a Waqf; the power to divest Waqf properties on mere allegation of being government property pending the report of a designated officer or the decision of the government; the collector’s power to denotify Waqf by user (property treated as Waqf after a long period of religious use); and inclusion of more than four non-Muslim members in the central waqf board and more than three in the state waqf boards, thereby ensuring a Muslim majority in these boards,” he said.
TVK led by actor Vijay hailed the verdict as a “victory for justice, constitutional values, and fundamental rights,” while referring that the party had also moved the court in this regard. In a post on X, the party noted that the court had stayed key provisions that it said would have undermined fairness, equality, and religious freedom.