SC stays HC order restraining Tamil Nadu Waqf Board from exercising functions
New Delhi (PTI): The Supreme Court on Thursday stayed a Madras High Court order which restrained the Tamil Nadu Waqf Board from exercising any functions while observing that its constitution was prima facie not in accordance with the provisions of law.
A bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi issued notice to the Tamil Nadu government and others seeking their responses on the petition filed by the waqf board challenging the high court's January 8 order.
The high court had passed the order on a plea which challenged the constitution of the waqf board on the grounds, including that one out of the two persons as mandated in clause (d) of Section 14 of the Unified Waqf Management, Empowerment, Efficiency and Development Act, 1995, has not been nominated.
The plea before the high court also claimed non-compliance of the mandate that two of the total members of the Bar appointed under sub-section (1) of Section 14, excluding ex-officio members, shall be non-Muslim.
Section 14 of the Act deals with composition of board.
Before the high court, the counsel appearing for the state contended that constitution of the board is almost complete as majority of members have already been nominated or appointed and as far as other members are concerned, steps are being taken to complete the same.
In its order, the high court noted the mandate of second proviso that two of the total members of the board appointed under sub-section (1), excluding ex-offico member, shall be non-Muslim has also been not fulfilled.
"The constitution of the board as exists today, prima facie is not in accordance with the provisions of law," the high court said.
"In view of the above, the board cannot be allowed to exercise any powers and functions under the act. The board is hereby restrained from exercising any powers and functions," it said.
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US trade deficit slipped to USD 901 billion last year amid Trump tariffs
Washington (AP): The US trade deficit slipped modestly in 2025, a year in which President Donald Trump upended global commerce by slapping double digit tariffs on imports from most countries.
The gap the between the goods and services the US sells other countries and what it buys from them narrowed to just over USD 901 billion from USD 904 billion in 2024, the Commerce Department reported Thursday.
Exports rose 6 per cent last year, and imports rose nearly 5 per cent.
The trade gap surged from January-March as US companies tried to import foreign goods ahead of Trump's taxes, then narrowed most of the rest of the year.
Trump's tariffs are a tax paid by US importers and often passed along to their customers as higher prices.
But they haven't had as much impact on inflation as economists originally expected. Trump argues that the tariffs will protect US industries, bringing manufacturing back to America and raise money for the US Treasury.
