Collectors can conduct investigations; Supreme Court says no changes should be made to waqf properties

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court has said that properties that have become waqf through use or by court order should not be denotified. The Supreme Court has clarified in an interim order that waqf properties should not be denotified. The court is hearing petitions related to the amendment of the Waqf Act. The petitions are being considered by the bench of Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna, PV Sanjay Kumar and KV Viswanathan.

The members of the Waqf Council, except ex-officio members, must be Muslims. The court also clarified that collectors can conduct investigations on Waqf lands, but the Waqf properties do not cease to be Waqf during the investigation. The court also noted concerns about the use of Waqf properties. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court said that it may issue an interim order after hearing the arguments tomorrow. The case will be considered again tomorrow at 2 pm. The court also said that only three lawyers from the petitioners can argue.

Kapil Sibal argued in the Supreme Court that the government interfered in religious practices through a parliamentary law. "There has been a violation of Article 26. Religious practices are a constitutional right. Waqf is an essential practice of Islam. What power does the government have to question the practice?" Kapil Sibal asked. However, the court clarified that Article 26 is secular and applies to all communities.