SC issues notice to Centre on pleas challenging new triple talaq law

The Supreme Court on Friday issued a notice to the Centre on pleas challenging the constitutional validity of ‘The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Act, 2019 that criminalises instant ‘triple talaq’ .

A bench of justices NV Ramana and Ajay Rastogi issued a notice on a bunch of petitions seeking declaration of the bill as “unconstitutional”, saying it ‘violates’ the provisions of the Constitution.

“We have a doubt if a religious practice is declared void and it is still going on, is it not an offence like dowry?” the Apex court observed.

Representing the petitioner, senior advocate Salman Khurshid told the court there was no need to criminalise the practice when the Supreme Court has already declared instant triple talaq null and void.