Waqf Board Restructuring and Property Rights: A Detailed Analysis of the 2025 Amendments
The 2025 Waqf (Amendment) Bill redesigns Waqf Boards and recasts property rights in India to introduce transparency and accountability. Major revisions involve limiting Waqf declaration to five years of practice as a Muslim, making women’s inheritance the top priority, and adding non-Muslims to boards. The changes replace Survey Commissioner with District Collectors, beef up government regulation, and invalidate the “Waqf by user”ctrine, affecting deeply rooted property status. While supporters believe that it deters abuse and makes management up to date, others point towards possibilities of violations to religious sovereignty and community rights. This review addresses the constitutional, social, and legal effects of these changes.