SC Rejects PIL for SIT Inquiry into Murshidabad Violence Over Waqf Act

*New Delhi, May 13, 2025* — The Supreme Court on Monday rejected a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) asking for a Special Investigation Team (SIT) inquiry into the recent violence in Murshidabad, West Bengal, that was allegedly over disputes over the Waqf Act.

A bench led by Chief Justice of India held that the petition did not contain enough material to warrant a court-supervised investigation. "Law and order is a state subject. We cannot order an SIT on vague allegations," the court said. The bench also pointed out that the petitioner did not produce any evidence of bias or inaction on the part of state agencies.

The petitioner had stated that the violence broke out following clashes over control and ownership of some Waqf properties. The plea asserted that local authorities did not act in time, resulting in damage to property and injuries to a number of people. But the court insisted that such matters should first be probed by the state's law enforcement agencies.

The clash, which occurred in areas of Murshidabad earlier last month, garnered political and media interest as the opposition party blamed the state administration for fumbling the operation. Protestors asked for clarification about how Waqf land is managed and that local officials are allegedly partial in favoring groups.

Dismissing the plea, the court directed the petitioner to approach appropriate state channels for remedies and not run to the top court unless there is obvious constitutional violation or gross failure of governance. The bench also asked all parties to refrain from politicizing religious issues and uphold peace and harmony.

This ruling is viewed as part of the Supreme Court's general policy of discouraging unnecessary judicial intervention in cases that fall within the administrative jurisdiction of the states, particularly when other legal remedies are present.