India court stays key provisions of controversial new law on Muslim properties

The Indian Supreme Court has stayed key provisions of a controversial new law that aims to regulate the sale and purchase of properties belonging to Muslims. The Uniform Civil Code (UCC) law, passed in the state of Uttarakhand, has been criticized for unfairly targeting the Muslim community. The court refused to suspend the entire law, stating that a stay would only be granted in the "rarest of rare" cases. However, it has put a hold on specific clauses that require prior permission from the district magistrate for the sale or purchase of properties belonging to Muslims. The decision comes after several petitions were filed challenging the constitutionality of the UCC law, which many believe is a discriminatory measure targeting the Muslim minority. The court's ruling is seen as a temporary relief for the affected community, but the larger debate over the law's legality and its implications for religious and property rights continues.