Muslim Personal Law Practices:
A five-judge Constitution Bench on Tuesday impleaded the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), the National Commission of Women (NCW) and the National Commission of Minorities as parties in a batch of petitions challenging the Muslim Personal Law practices such as polygamy and nikah halala.
- The Supreme Court also issued notice in a separate petition in the batch, which said the personal law practices violated Section 494 of the Indian Penal Code.
- The section makes “marrying again during lifetime of husband or wife” an offence punishable with imprisonment up to seven years and fine.
- The case will be listed after the Dasara holidays.
- Petitioners argue that polygamy and nikah halala (bar against remarriage with divorced husband without an intervening marriage with another man) are unconstitutional.
