Controversial practice of ‘triple talaq’, which allows men to dissolve marriages instantly, declared unconstitutional

This article is more than 2 years old

This article is more than 2 years old

An Islamic practice permitting men to instantly divorce their wives has been declared unconstitutional by India’s supreme court after decades of campaigning by women’s groups and victims. I was hoping for it but I still had my doubts.”

'Talaq' and the battle to ban the three words that grant India's Muslim men instant divorce Read more

Triple talaq has been criticised even among hardline Muslim schools and was already banned in Pakistan, Bangladesh and across much of the Islamic world. I cannot tell you how much Indian women have supported us, despite their religions,” said Zakia Soman, an activist from Bharatiya Muslim Mahila Andolan, one of the groups involved in the case, according to the BBC. The practice had been challenged in lower courts but it was the first time India’s supreme court had considered whether triple talaq was legal. While many Islamic countries including Pakistan and Bangladesh have long banned the practice, "triple talaq" was still prevalent in India, where there is no absolute set of laws on marriage and divorce applicable to all citizens regardless of religion. The All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB), a grouping of Islamic organisations, had told the court that while they considered the practice of triple talaq wrong, they opposed any court intervention and asked that the matter be left to the community to tackle. Islamic scholars say the Koran clearly spells out how to issue a divorce – it has to be spread over three months, allowing a couple time for reflection and reconciliation.
The "triple talaq", an Islamic practice allowing men to divorce instantly, is declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court of India.