'Triple talaq without valid reasons not allowed'

"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) yesterday, reported PTI.

The Indian 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.

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.

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 Allahabad HC ruled last December that triple talaq violates the equality of women as provided by the Constitution.

The Indian SC 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.