SC rejects plea for legalising church divorces

New Delhi : The Supreme Court on Thursday dismissed a PIL seeking legal sanction to divorces granted to Catholic Christians by Church-run canonical courts without subjecting them to go through the procedure under the Christian Marriage Act 1872.
A Bench comprising Chief Justice JS Khehar and DY Chandrachud said the petition was devoid of merit as Additional Solicitor General SK Kaul pleaded that the apex court had already ruled that only family courts and regular appellate courts had the jurisdiction to issue decrees in such matters.
The petitioner, 87-year-old Clarence Pais, had pleaded that the Christian Marriage Act allowed solemnisation of marriages under the Canon Law, but did not recognise divorces granted by churches.
However, Muslim men were being allowed divorce by saying ‘talaq’ thrice. Pais had filed the PIL in 2013 on which the apex court had sought the Centre’s views.