Apex court intends to decide pleas challenging triple talaq soon

New Delhi : Terming triple talaq a human rights issue, the Supreme Court on Tuesday said it intended to decide petitions challenging the practice under Muslim Personal Law very soon.A three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice JS Khehar said it would hear the petitions filed by Muslim women against triple talaq, the intervention applications and also the government on the issue from May 11.The bench, however, made it clear that it was not dealing with the issue of Uniform Civil Code (UCC), which is currently being examined by the Law Commission of India.Many conservative Muslim groups, including Muslim Personal Law Board, have been opposing the UCC that has been a part of the BJP’s poll promise for decades.The bench will take up the matter on February 16 to frame issues that would be considered by it during the hearing beginning from May 11.
The court said it would also consider the impact of international covenants and conventions India is signatory to while decoding the matter.
After the hearing, Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi told The Tribune: “The practices of triple talaq, polygamy and nikah halala–whether religious or not, and even if a part of personal law–are unconstitutional. They are hit by Article 14 (right to equality) of the Constitution. They perpetuate gender inequality.”