AHMEDABAD: In a significant reaffirmation of Article 14, the Gujarat High Court on December 17, 2025, ruled that Waqf institutions must pay court fees at par with Hindu temples and other religious trusts. By dismissing nearly 150 pending petitions, the Court ended a decades-old exemption granted exclusively to Waqf bodies under state rules, holding that religious identity cannot justify procedural privileges in secular judicial processes.
The Court emphasised that access to justice must be governed by uniform legal standards and that exemptions based solely on faith offend the constitutional guarantee of equality before the law. While religious freedoms under Articles 25 and 26 remain protected, the judgment clarifies that such freedoms do not extend to preferential treatment in matters of court administration and fiscal obligations.
The ruling followed policy intervention initiated by Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi, who questioned the constitutional validity of religion-specific exemptions. It reflects a broader movement away from identity-based exceptions toward principle-based governance in public law.
This decision also comes amid a national debate on Waqf governance following the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025, parts of which were subject to Supreme Court scrutiny earlier this year. While concerns were raised regarding minority rights and institutional autonomy, the Gujarat High Court has drawn a careful distinction between substantive protections for minorities and procedural equality under the Constitution.
By placing Waqf institutions on the same footing as other religious trusts, the judgment underscores that constitutional equity is achieved through the uniform application of the law, not selective concessions. It stands as a reminder that secular legal processes must remain neutral, consistent, and blind to religious classification.
