Supreme Court considers issuing interim stay on 3 points of Waqf law, Centre urges for more time to explain

The bench led by Justice Sanjiv Khanna will hear the matter again on Thursday.

Hearing a bunch of petitions challenging the amended law, the apex court raised concern over the violence sparked during the protests.

It also questioned the Centre if Muslims would be included in the Hindu religious boards.

At the end, the judges raised three points, indicating their intention to pass an interim order, which would put some provisions of the amended law on hold.

The top court said it intended to maintain the status quo for all three procedures, on which the rules have been amended.

According to the judges, whatever property has been declared as Waqf by the user or declared by the court will not be notified.

Secondly, the Collector can continue the proceedings, but the provision will not be applicable. And third, while ex-officio members can be appointed regardless of religion, others should be Muslims, the judges said.

According to reports, 73 petitions against the Waqf Law were listed before the court.

The matter is being heard by a three-judge bench comprising  Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna and Justices Sanjay Kumar and KV Vishawnathan.

The Waqf Amendment Bill was passed by parliament earlier this month after marathon debates in both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.

Murshidabad and South 24 Parganas Protests

After days of tension in Bengal's Murshidabad, fresh violence erupted at Bhangar in South 24 Parganas on Monday during a protest against the Centre's Waqf (Amendment) Act.

Viral videos on social media showed police motorbikes were torched, and a police bus was overturned with its windshield ripped out.

A large contingent of police marched on the streets of Bhangar to contain violence.

The cops had to resort to lathi-charging to disperse protesters, at least one of whom was also injured.

Anti-Waqf violence in Murshidabad

The fresh tension comes after massive violence in the Muslim-dominated Murshidabad district, in which three people were killed, railway tracks were blocked, and there was arson and vandalism.

Over 200 people have been arrested in connection with that violence so far.

Attacked by marauding mobs, Hindus from villages fled in boats and via roads to the adjacent district of Malda as Islamic violence claimed three lives and destroyed properties.

West Bengal Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari on Monday demanded a probe into the Islamic violence and riots that hit the Murshidabad district, causing three deaths, by the National Investigation Agency (NIA).