It will remain the same as it was… Supreme Court's interim order on Waqf law, government gets 7 days to respond

A bench of Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna, Justice Sanjay Kumar and Justice KV Vishwanathan heard the Waqf law. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta on behalf of the Center, Kapil Sibal, Rajiv Dhawan, Abhishek Singhvi, CU Singh on behalf of Muslim bodies and individual petitioners argued in the court. In Thursday's hearing, the court has given the government 7 days to respond. The next hearing of the case will be on May 5. Till then the status quo will remain in the Waqf properties and the board.

The petitions filed regarding the Waqf law were heard in the Supreme Court today i.e. on Thursday for the second day. The Supreme Court has given 7 days to the central government to respond. But at the same time the court has said that there will be no change in the Waqf property. That is, the status of the Waqf will remain the same. The next hearing of the case will be on May 5.

CJI Sanjeev Khanna said that the government should file a reply within 7 days and the reply to it should be filed within the next 5 days. The CJI also said that from the next hearing only 5 writ petitioners will be present in the court. We want only 5 here. Others will either be considered as applications or disposed of. We will not mention the name.

What assurance did the government give?

Earlier SG Tushar Mehta had sought 7 days to respond. Mehta said that the respondent government wants to file a brief reply within 7 days and assured that there will be no appointment in the boards and councils till the next date. He also assured that there will be no change in the status of Waqf including Waqf by user already declared by notification or gazetted. The government has assured that the provisions of the Act will not be effective now.

Let us tell you that a bench of Chief Justice Sanjeev Khanna, Justice Sanjay Kumar and Justice KV Vishwanathan heard 73 petitions. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta on behalf of the Center, Kapil Sibal, Rajiv Dhawan, Abhishek Singhvi, CU Singh on behalf of Muslim bodies and individual petitioners argued in the court.

There was a hearing on this yesterday i.e. Wednesday as well. The bench expressed displeasure over the inclusion of non-Muslims in the Central Waqf Councils and Board and asked the Center if it is ready to include Muslims in Hindu religious trusts.

What happened in the court today (Thursday)?

In today's hearing, SG Tushar Mehta said but this is a harsh step. Please give me a week to file a preliminary reply with some documents. This is not a case that can be considered in this way. CJI said that we had said that there are some positive things in the law. We have said that a complete ban cannot be imposed, but we also do not want the current situation to change, so that it has an impact. Like 5 years after Islam, we are not banning it. But there are some sections.

CJI said that there are two options. You said yesterday that registration will be done. SG said that let the documents be presented right now. Nothing will happen in a week.

The Supreme Court said that we are not giving the decision. This will be an interim order. CJI said that we are moving forward on the basis of the situation before us. We do not want the situation to change completely. We are not banning the Act.

SG Tushar Mehta said that I want to say something with respect and concern. This court is considering a ban directly or indirectly, which is rare. SG said that prima facie banning some sections would be a matter of going too far. The government and Parliament are bound to answer the people. Private properties and villages have become Waqf properties. That is why this law has been brought.

What did Owaisi say on the court's order?

On the interim order of the court, AIMIM chief Owaisi said that a stay has been imposed on the formation of the Waqf Board. I was a member of the JPC. I opposed the bill. We are against the Act. It is an attack on our rights. It is against the Constitution. We will continue to oppose it in the future as well.