Essential Religious Practice

New Delhi, May 21, 2025 – In a significant legal and constitutional development, the Central Government informed the Supreme Court that waqf, while rooted in Islamic practice, is not an essential part of Islam and thus not protected under the fundamental right to religious freedom. The submission came during hearings on petitions challenging the constitutional validity of the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025.Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Centre, clarified that waqf boards discharge secular functions, such as property management and financial administration, and therefore the inclusion of non-Muslims in waqf boards does not violate religious freedom or disrupt religious practices.The…