The Supreme Court on Wednesday permitted former Union Minister Salman Khurshid to help it as an amicus curae (friend of the court) in the hearing of cases related to triple talaq, nikah halala and polygamy among Muslims. The apex court’s bench has allowed the Congress leader to file his written submissions in the case, PTI reported.
The bench, which includes Chief Justice JS Khehar and Justices DY Chandrachud and SK Kaul, said Kurshid’s submissions in the case will be taken on record. “It is not an issue,” the bench said when Kurshid pointed out that the time for filing written submissions in the case had passed.
The Supreme Court had decided that a five-judge Constitution bench would rule on the constitutional validity of triple talaq. In March, the court had said it would hear the matter every day between May 11 to May 19. But the top court had refused to club hearings on the Uniform Civil Code with those on Muslim personal laws, saying they were two separate subjects.
The All India Muslim Personal Law Board had recently asserted that it had the “constitutional right” to implement Muslim personal law, including triple talaq. The law board’s comments came after the Centre had urged the Supreme Court to declare the Islamic practices of triple talaq, nikah halala and polygamy inconsistent with Muslim women’s fundamental right to life and dignity. The Centre had taken an official stand against triple talaq and polygamy for the first time on October 7 last year, telling the top court that gender equality was non-negotiable.
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