New Delhi, March 18: Reports said that a petition started by the Muslim Rashtriya Manch, calling for the abolition of triple talaq, has received signatures of more over a million Muslims from across India with women in majority.
Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad recently termed it as a pernicious social practice that has been "banned or restricted" in many Islamic countries.
The top court has been urged to spell out whether practice of talaq-e-bidat, nikah halala and polygamy were compatible with India's obligations under the international treaties. The Centre also urged the court to examine whether Article 25 (1) was subject to Part III of the Constitution spelling out the Fundamental Rights, particularly the right to equality before law and protection of life and personal liberty.
Nikah halala means a man cannot remarry a woman after triple talaq unless she has already consummated her marriage with another man and then her new husband dies or divorces her.
Responding to a batch of petitions including the one filed by Shayaro Bano challenging the validity of such practices among Muslims, the Centre had first dealt with the right of gender equality under the Constitution. All India Muslim Personal Law Board, however, had rubbished the stand taken by the Narendra Modi government that the apex court should re-look these practices as they are violative of fundamental rights like gender equality and the ethos of secularism, a key part of the basic structure of the Constitution.(Input from agencies)
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