India Supreme Court Suspends Key Provisions Muslim Property Law

India's Supreme Court has temporarily suspended key provisions of the 2025 Waqf Amendment Act, which governs Muslim charitable properties, following petitions from Muslim groups and opposition parties challenging the law's constitutionality. The government argues the law aims to improve transparency and management of these properties, which are vital to the country's 200 million Muslims, while critics claim it undermines Muslim autonomy and facilitates state control over religious assets. Among the suspended provisions are those allowing the government to decide disputed waqf property ownership and restricting waqf creation to practicing Muslims of at least five years, which the court ruled violated the separation of powers and natural justice. The court refused to strike down the entire law but paused controversial elements, including the role of government collectors in ownership disputes and limits on waqf board composition involving non-Muslims. The amendments have sparked widespread protests and legal battles, reflecting deep tensions over the control and management of waqf properties across India. The Supreme Court's interim order ensures these provisions will not be enforced until a final decision is reached.