In a bid to cut through courtroom clutter and keep proceedings streamlined, the Supreme Court has chosen just five lead petitions to be heard in the high-stakes challenge against the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025.
Faced with a barrage of nearly 65 petitions targeting the controversial legislation, the bench led by Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna, along with Justices PV Sanjay Kumar and KV Viswanathan, made it clear on Thursday that the remaining petitions won’t be left in the cold—but will be folded in as intervention or impleadment pleas within the five principal cases.
The five cases that will shape the legal battle ahead were selected from among the petitioners themselves following the Court’s directive. These chosen five bring a diverse slate of challengers to the table:
- Arshad Madani v. Union of India – Madani, an Islamic scholar and the current head of Darul Uloom Deoband, brings religious and institutional weight.
- Muhammad Jameel Merchant v. Union of India – A grassroots voice, Merchant is a known social activist.
- Mohammed Fazlurrahim & Anr. v. Union of India & Ors. – Fazlurrahim, representing the All India Muslim Personal Law Board, brings organizational perspective.
- Sheikh Noorul Hassan v. The Union of India & Ors. – A political voice from Manipur, Hassan serves as an MLA from the National People’s Party.
- Asaduddin Owaisi v. Union of India – A seasoned Parliamentarian and president of AIMIM, Owaisi brings political sharpness to the legal table.
To manage the courtroom choreography, the apex court appointed nodal counsels for all sides: Ejaz Maqbool will coordinate for the petitioners, Kanu Agrawal for the government, and Vishnu Shankar Jain for the intervenors.
Despite the marquee names involved, the matter will proceed under a neutral legal title—In Re: The Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025—stripping it of individual branding as it moves through the judicial spotlight.
The Court is set to hear interim matters in the case on May 5. All eyes now turn to what promises to be a pivotal showdown over the future of waqf governance in India.
