Since passage of Triple Talaq law, Muslim divorce rate reduced by 96%: Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan
The Triple Talaq practise was deemed unlawful and unconstitutional by the Indian Parliament on July 30, 2019, and made a punishable act from 1 August 2019.
FollowAccording to Kerala Governor Arif Mohammad Khan, the number of divorces among Muslims has "gone down by 96%" since triple talaq became a criminal crime in 2019. This has benefitted women and children. Speaking to a group at a seminar on the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) here, he also questioned whether it was not strange that one must first express their religion in order to seek justice. Regarding the objections the All India Muslim Personal Law Board sent to the law commission regarding the UCC, Khan stated that everyone has the right to voice their thoughts.
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The UCC refers to a common set of laws on marriage, divorce and inheritance that would be applicable to all Indian citizens irrespective of religion, tribe or other local customs.
He noted how it took two years since the Supreme Court's landmark decision in 2017 for The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Act 2019 to become law, which makes the practice of instant divorce through triple talaq among Muslims a criminal offence punishable by up to three years in prison.
By a vote of 3:2, the supreme court determined that the practice of triple talaq divorce among Muslims is "void," "illegal," and "unconstitutional." The Supreme Court also ruled that triple talaq violates the fundamental principles of Islam.
Khan stated, "Do you know that even after the ruling, teen talaq did not cease even for a single day," and he related how he had a call from someone in Bahraich, Uttar Pradesh, who informed of such a situation happening with a woman.
"Talaq has not been prohibited and cannot be prohibited; nevertheless, triple talaq has been prohibited and as a result of it becoming a punishable offence, the divorce rate in the Muslim community has decreased by 96%." Additionally, children whose future was earlier harmed by divorce also benefited, according to Khan.
