New Delhi: The Supreme Court Monday dismissed a plea challenging the constitutional validity of an ordinance which makes the practice of instant ‘triple talaq’ a punishable offence.
A bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi dismissed a plea of a Kerala-based outfit and said it will not like to interfere.
The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Ordinance was first notified on September 19 last year, hours after the Union Cabinet had cleared it.
Instant ‘triple talaq’, also known as ‘talaq-e-biddat’, is an instant divorce whereby a Muslim man can legally divorce his wife by pronouncing ‘talaq’ three times in one go.
The ordinance making the practice of instant ‘triple talaq’ a punishable offence was issued for the third time in less than a year on February 21.
Also read: Opposition wants select committee to take up triple talaq bill. Here’s what the panels do
This is a poorly thought out law, making a criminal offence out of an act that has no legal force. Beyond making an electoral point, unclear why it needed to be enacted through an Ordinance. Hopefully, the next Parliament will bury it for good.