Muslim Personal Law Board Ready To End Triple Talaq Practice

After putting up a tough fight against the Centre's petition in Supreme Court to end the practice of Triple Talaq, the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) has finally succumbed to pressure and agreed to do so. Dr Sayeed Sadiq, vice-president of the AIMPLB, has said that the personal law board will do away with the practice of Triple Talaq in a year-and-a half, CNN reported. Dr Sayeed added that “government interference” was not needed.

The case of Triple Talaq has seen criticism from around the country. Muslim women themselves came forward in a bid to abolish this practice.

However, the AIMPLB's sudden volte-face on the issue seems strange as the statement comes days after it claimed to have received 3.50 crore forms from Muslim women from across the country favouring the Shariat and Triple Talaq

The board had recently told the Supreme Court that the plea challenging the Triple Talaq practice was not maintainable as it was not in the realm of the judiciary.

On October 7 last year, the Centre had appealed to the Supreme Court to look within the practice of Triple Talaq and polygamy among Muslims in a bid to bring about gender equality. To this, the All India Muslim Personal Law Board had said that the validity of Mohammedan Law -- founded essentially in the Holy Quran and sources based on it -- cannot be tested on the particular provision of the Constitution.

The apex court took the suo moto cognizance of the question on whether Muslim Women faced gender discrimination in the event of divorce or due to other marriages of their husband.

The latest to speak out against Triple Talaq is Salma Ansari, wife of Vice-President Hamid Ansari. Salma has said that uttering talaq thrice does not lead to divorce. She said there was no mention of Triple Talaq in the Quran, and asked women to read the Quran themselves, instead of relying on the clerics.

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