'Triple talaq without valid reasons not allowed', says Muslim Personal Law Board

NEW DELHI: "Those who give triple talaq without reasons prescribed by the Sharia (reigious law) will face social boycott," said the All India Muslim Personal Law Board AIMLPB ) today, reported PTI."There has been misunderstanding on this issue, we will issue a code of conduct on it," said the AIMLPB, ANI reported.The Supreme Court (SC) is currently hearing a case on the constitutional validity of triple talaq, the Islamic practice some Muslims follow of divorcing their wife by pronouncing the word 'talaq' three times.Yesterday, the AIMPLB working committee decided to not allow any "outside interference" on an issue that was described as part of the Sharia, or religious law, and thus a fundamental right. The Board, however, decided to put in place a mechanism to ensure that the option of triple talaq is exercised in the rarest of the rare case. It said it could exercise restraint on oral divorce by socially boycotting and fining those who resort to the practice wantonly."It has been decided in executive body meeting that those misusing triple talaq will face social boycott," reiterated AIMLPB's Maulana Khalid R Firangi.The Centre and some NGOs, who are a party in the case in the SC, have submitted that triple talaq violates the right to gender equality.The AIMLPB and other clerics have argued that triple talaq has the sanction of the Quran, forms part of Muslim personal law and, therefore, falls squarely outside the purview of the judiciary. It also said declaring it unconstitutional is akin to "rewriting the Quran."The Allahabad HC ruled last December that triple talaq violates the equality of women as provided by the Constitution.The Supreme Court has set May 11-19 as the timeline to conclude hearings on the legality of triple talaq, signalling its resolve to decide on an issue with potentially severe socio-political implications. The court said it would hold daily sittings between May 11 and May 19 to decide pleas by Muslim women to declare the practice of oral talaq illegal.