Rush Hour: Centre defends Waqf Act in Supreme Court, Kunal Kamra protected from arrest and more

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The Union government has told the Supreme Court that the Waqf Amendment Act does not violate constitutional rights. In an affidavit submitted on Friday, the Centre argued that the law regulates only secular aspects of waqf property management and steers clear of religious freedoms governed by Articles 25 and 26 of the Constitution.

The amendments, it said, were based on an “in-depth and analytical study” and aimed at reforming administrative procedures. It also defended the inclusion of non-Muslims on waqf boards, saying these were secular bodies with advisory roles.

The government said over 20 lakh hectares had been recorded as waqf land after 2013, alleging misuse of earlier provisions to encroach on private and public land. It opposed a “blanket stay” on the law and said that legal challenges to it were based on the “false premise” that it impinged on religious freedoms. The Centre assured the court it would not denotify waqf properties or appoint new council members before May 5, when the matter will be heard next. Read on.

Defiance to exemption: A history of the Bohra community’s resistance to waqf law

The Bombay High Court has...

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