BJP’s Nishikant Dubey stirs row over Waqf Act, says 'shut parliament if SC makes laws'

New Delhi: BJP MP Nishikant Dubey sparked a controversy on Saturday with his remarks aimed at the judiciary amid the Supreme Court’s ongoing review of the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025.

Dubey questioned the judiciary’s role in legislative affairs, suggesting that Parliament would serve no purpose if courts take over the function of lawmaking.

“If the Supreme Court is going to make the laws, then the Parliament building should be shut down,” Dubey wrote in Hindi on social media platform X, a comment widely seen as criticism of the top court’s scrutiny of the amended Waqf Act.

The Supreme Court began hearing a batch of petitions on Wednesday challenging the constitutional validity of the amended law, which was passed by both Houses of Parliament earlier this month. Petitioners have argued that certain provisions — including the inclusion of non-Muslims in Waqf Boards and the removal of “Waqf by user” properties — are unconstitutional.

During the hearing, the court took note of several assurances made by the Centre. These included a commitment not to appoint non-Muslims to Waqf Boards or Councils until further orders, and a promise that no Waqf properties — including those classified as “Waqf-by-user” — would be removed from official records or have their classification altered by District Collectors during this interim period.