Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025: A Comprehensive Overview

The recent passage of the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025 by the Indian Parliament has ignited a nationwide discourse, marked by fervent debates and significant protests, particularly in states with substantial Muslim populations like West Bengal, home to approximately 25 million individuals. This legislative development seeks to modify the existing framework governing Muslim-owned waqf properties, which encompass a wide array of assets including mosques, graveyards, and other sites of religious importance, raising apprehensions about potential governmental overreach and the erosion of religious autonomy. The Act aims to modernize the administration of these properties, estimated at around 870,000 across India with a valuation of approximately ₹100,000 crore (US billion) and spanning