Waqf (Amendment) Act hearing: Heated debate erupts between SG Mehta and Sibal as hearing begins in Supreme Court

As soon as the hearing on the Waqf Amendment Act began in the Supreme Court, SG Mehta and Kapil Sibal engaged in a heated debate. Read more on Dynamite News

New Delhi: Over 100 petitioners, contending that the amendments made infringe upon the rights of Muslims, have moved the top court against the Waqt Amendment Bill.

The apex court on 15 May had said that the pleas challenging the Waqf (Amendment) Act's constitutional validity would be taken up by a bench headed by CJI B.R. Gavai on 20 May.

As soon as the hearing on the Waqf Amendment Act began on 20 May 2025, a heated debate was observed between the Center and the petitioners, reports Dynamite News correspondent. The center objected that in the last hearing, the court had asked to answer three specific issues, so why did the petitioners raise new issues?

The petitioners said there was no such order that only those issues should be raised and not the rest. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta was arguing on behalf of the Center, and senior advocate Kapil Sibal was arguing on behalf of the petitioner.

Tushar Mehta said that the court had asked to focus on only three questions, and we also filed answers to them. But the petitioners are raising new issues, whereas the hearing should be limited to only three questions.

According to him, these issues were related to the appointment of the Waqf Board, Waqf by User, and identification of government properties. Kapil Sibal opposed Tushar Mehta's statement and said the court had not said that only these three issues would be heard.

The court had discussed these issues, but did not say that no other issue could be raised. On this, the bench of CJI Bhushan Ramakrishna Gavai agreed with Kapil Sibal and said that there was no mention of limiting any issue in the order.

However, Tushar Mehta again said that only three issues were discussed in the court, and it is sad that the other side is increasing it further. The last hearing was held on May 15, when the bench of CJI Gavai ordered the Center to submit an affidavit by May 19.

Earlier, this matter was in the bench of former Chief Justice Sanjeev Khanna, but after his retirement on May 13, the matter was handed over to CJI Gavai. Gavai took over as CJI on May 14.