Issue patriarchal and traditional in nature: Centre

A Constitution bench of the Supreme Court is all set to hear the triple talaq case exactly a month from now. By now almost all parties concerned have submitted their written arguments, setting the stage for the final hearing starting May 11.

On March 30, the top court pushed for an expeditious hearing of the triple talaq case rebuffing the Centre’s attempts to defer it. A five-judge Constitution bench will hear the matter from May 11 onward and may even sit on weekends if required to finish hearing the arguments in time.

In its submission filed on Monday, the Centre informed the SC that practices of triple talaq, nikah halala and polygamy are patriarchal and traditional in notion which must be struck down.

 Fresh from its victory in the Uttar Pradesh elections, the BJP-led Central government reiterated its stand calling these practices “unequal and vulnerable”.

“The practices which are under challenge — triple talaq, nikah halala and polygamy — are practices which impact the social status and dignity of Muslim women and render them unequal and vulnerable qua men belonging to their own community, women belonging to other communities and also Muslim women outside India,” the Centre said in its submission.