Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court’s verdict on Muslim women’s absolute right to seek divorce through Khula has triggered controversy, and the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) has called a meeting on July 1.
It is expected that the verdict will have a huge impact on many cases pending in family courts across the state.
Telangana High Court on Khula
As per the ruling made by a division bench comprising Justice Moushumi Bhattacharya and Justice BR Madhusudhan Rao, a Muslim woman has an absolute right to seek divorce through khula, a form of dissolution of marriage initiated by the wife under Islamic law, without requiring her husband’s consent.
The court stated that once a demand for khula is made, the husband does not have the right to refuse, except to negotiate the return of the dower (mehr).
Even if the wife declines to return the dower, the husband cannot refuse the khula, the verdict added.
The Telangana High Court emphasized that the wife’s right to demand khula is absolute and does not require a specific cause or the husband’s acceptance.
AIMPLB meeting scheduled
According to a report published in News Meter, to discuss the impact of the judgment, AIMPLB has scheduled a meeting on July 1.
As the judgment made khula a unilateral right of a woman, similar to talaq is for a man, there are debates over the judgment being misused by women.
The report quoted Advocate Mubasher Hussain Ansari questioning, “Is there anything wrong if a wife wants to end the relationship and files for divorce?”
Now as AIMPLB is going to hold a meeting to discuss the impact of Telangana High Court’s verdict on khula, it is likely to become another topic of debate.
