Seven state governments back Waqf Amendment Act 2023 in Supreme Court

Ahead of the ongoing hearing on the Waqf Amendment Act in the Supreme Court, the governments of seven states have filed an intervention petition in the court. The governments of Maharashtra, Assam, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh and Uttarakhand have supported the Waqf Amendment Act 2023 and urged the court to hear their arguments in the matter. These states have said that this new law is based on the principles of transparency, justice and practicality and it protects the interests of not only the Waqf Board but also the common citizens.

The Rajasthan government has said in its application that this law has been brought with very good intentions and dedication. This is not a hasty step, but it has been implemented after detailed parliamentary discussion and deep deliberation on it. Due to the flaws in the old law, the state governments had to face many practical problems, which have now been resolved through this new law.

The state governments have particularly objected to Section 40 of the old Waqf Act. They have said that the misuse of this section has been a matter of concern for a long time. Under this section, the Waqf Board had the right to declare any property as Waqf and claim it, which often led to disputes and Waqf claims were also made on properties owned by common citizens. To bring transparency in this process, a provision has been made in the new amended law that a public notice will be issued before any change in the land revenue records. This will stop arbitrary declarations and claims.

All seven states have jointly emphasized that the petitioners' claim that this law is against the Constitution is not correct. They said that this law is not only going to bring systemic reforms, but it will also make the identification and administration of properties related to Waqf transparent. There is no place for discrimination in it and it protects the interests of every section. This amendment was necessary to make the process of law simple, clear and fair.

Thus, the governments of these states have clarified that the Waqf Amendment Act 2023 is a reformative initiative, which is a big step towards justice, transparency and administrative ease.