New Delhi, April 18 -- Hours after the Union government gave assurance to the Supreme Court that it will not implement key provisions of the Waqf (Amendment) Act till the next hearing, the Congress on Thursday welcomed the top court's preliminary observations, saying they have opened the space for a broader and necessary debate on the legitimate concerns surrounding "this hastily enacted legislation".

Congress leader Abhishek Singhvi, who addressed a press conference along with party lawmaker Imran Pratapgarhi, said the top court has re-established the "earlier legal position" on three points of the Act.

"The principal points we made in the Supreme Court is that it is not about improving institutions but about controlling them and closi...