On SC’s Waqf hearing eve, DMK says 95% stakeholders before JPC was against amendments

DMK raises concerns over impartiality of Waqf amendments, questions communal interests in Joint Parliamentary Committee proceedings.

The ruling DMK in Tamil Nadu on Sunday (May 4, 2025) raised doubts over the impartiality of the Joint Parliamentary Committee proceedings on Waqf amendments, hinting that communal banners and interests may have got the upper hand during deliberations on the Bill.

“During the course of deliberations, approximately 95% of the stakeholders who appeared before the committee expressed strong opposition to the Bill. The remaining 5% who supported the Bill did so, representing communal interests or under communal banners, thereby raising concerns about the representativeness and impartiality of the process,” a rejoinder affidavit filed by the DMK, represented by senior advocate P. Wilson and advocates Richardson Wilson, Apoorv Malhotra, Lokesh Krishna and Anuradha Arputham, said.

The DMK said that merely because the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025, had been enacted, it wasn’t exempted from constitutional review, especially if it would result in manifesting injustice and deprivation of fundamental rights of persons based on their religious identity.

Also read | Amendments will cripple Waqf Boards and their autonomy, says T.N. CM Stalin

A Special Bench headed by Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna will consider the question of interim stay of the Act on May 5.

The party said that the continuation of the Act, even for a limited period, would permanently alter legal rights and status of properties, causing irreversible consequences. “On the other hand, a temporary stay would merely maintain the status quo ante and ensure that no irreversible prejudice or harm is caused before the constitutionality of the provisions is adjudicated.” the affidavit said.

Kerala’s Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) agreed with the DMK in a separate affidavit on interim stay. Otherwise, it said, “a large number of properties, not limited to mosques, graveyards, orphanages, and schools across the country will be at risk of losing their status as waqf properties, and will be subject to takeover by the Union government”.