All India Muslim Women Personal Law Board hails observations of HC on triple talaq

The government and the All India Muslim Women Personal Law Board on Thursday hailed the observations of the Allahabad High Court on triple talaq as a welcome step, but the All India Muslim Personal Law Board was dismissive, saying the Supreme Court will deliver the final verdict.

Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray cautioned that the issue of triple talaq should not go the way of Shah Bano case due to vote bank politics.

Welcoming the judgement, Information and Broadcasting Minister M Venkaiah Naidu said women should get justice and everyone agrees to it.

Shaista Ambar, chairperson of All India Muslim Women Personal Law Board, who had earlier expressed reservations over a uniform civil code, today said the practice of triple talaq was “unjustified”.

“It is an atrocity...no law of Allah tolerates atrocity,” she said.

Amber hoped that Muslim women will get justice based on the Constitution as well as Islamic laws.

Minister of State for Women and Child Development Krishna Raj said, “Nobody understood the agony of women. Today, the High Court has taken a welcome step. It will help boost the morale of women.”

But the AIMPLB seemed dismissive of the high court’s observations. Its member Kamal Farooqui said the matter of triple talaq is already before the Supreme Court. “So that will be the judgement.”

He said the issue of triple talaq is not restricted to Muslims alone. “It is the question of all those religious entities who have been given guarantee under the Constitution to follow their own faith and religion,” he said.

Thackeray said the observations should be respected. “It has a lot of importance for the country. Due to vote bank politics, the issue (of triple talaq) should not go the Shah Bano case way,” he cautioned.

The court has observed that “divorce is permissible in Islam only in case of extreme emergency. When all efforts for effecting a reconciliation have failed, the parties may proceed to a dissolution of marriage by Talaq or by Khola”.

It has held that triple talaq is “cruel” and raised a question whether the Muslim Personal law could be amended to alleviate the sufferings of Muslim women.