Indian court bans instant divorce by Muslim men
NEW DELHI: India's top court yesterday banned a controversial Islamic practice that allows men to divorce their wives instantly, saying it was unconstitutional.
Victims of the practice known as "triple talaq", whereby Muslim men can divorce their wives by reciting the word talaq (divorce) three times, had approached the Supreme Court to ask for a ban.
Triple talaq "is not integral to religious practice and violates constitutional morality," a panel of Supreme Court judges said.
The five judges were from India's major faiths - Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, Sikhism and Zoroastrianism.
In their ruling, they said it was "manifestly arbitrary" to allow a man to "break down (a) marriage whimsically and capriciously".
"What is sinful under religion cannot be valid under law," they said. - AFP
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