All India Muslim Personal Law Board to oppose uniform civil code

The All-India Muslim Personal Law Board, an organisation that lobbies for Shariah or Islamic law in family matters, has said it would oppose any move to alter family laws of Muslims as it stands and would approach the Supreme Court to be made a party in case such as move was afoot.

The All-India Muslim Personal Law Board, an organisation that lobbies for Shariah or Islamic law in family matters, has said it would oppose any move to alter family laws of Muslims as it stands and would approach the Supreme Court to be made a party in case such as move was afoot.

“If any move is being planned by the judiciary, we will obviously be a party and appear before the court. On the face of it, I would say we can never accept any tinkering of Muslim personal laws,” Maulana Wali Rahmani, acting general secretary of the influential law board, told HT.

India allows communities to be governed by their religious norms in family matters such as like marriage, inheritance and divorce. For Muslims, the Shariah Act of 1937 applies. One general concern is that some of these laws are discriminatory towards women.

Two judges of the apex court sought to set up a bench to examine parts of Islamic law applicable to areas such as marriage and succession of property with a view to ensure gender equality.