Ahmedabad, 17 December 2025 — In a landmark and historic judgment, the Gujarat High Court on Wednesday ruled that Waqf institutions will no longer enjoy exemption from paying court fees in legal disputes and must now pay the prescribed fees just like other religious and charitable trusts. The court dismissed nearly 150 petitions filed by various Waqf bodies seeking exemption from court fees, marking a significant shift in judicial procedure related to Waqf property litigation.
The bench clarified that no litigant is above the law and that Waqf boards—whether small shrine committees or large mosque trusts—must adhere to the same procedural requirements as other religious organisations in India. Until now, ambiguity in the old Waqf law had allowed many such petitions to proceed without court fees, contributing to a backlog of cases.
The petitions dismissed included those filed by prominent institutions such as the Sunni Muslim Idgah Masjid Trust, the Vadodara City Masjid Sabha Trust, and the Sarkhej Roza Committee of Ahmedabad.
