News Reading Practice #77
(100 Day Challenge)
DIVORCED MUSLIM WOMEN ENTITLED TO SECULAR REMEDY: SC
Krishnadas Rajagopal
NEW DELHI
The Supreme Court on Wednesday held that divorced Muslim women are entitled to maintenance under the "secular" Section 125 of the
Code of Criminal Procedure.
The court agreed with amicus curiae, senior advocate Gaurav Agrawal, that a remedy under the
secular statutory provision of Section 125 of the Cr.PC cannot be foreclosed for divorced Muslim women by virtue of enactment of a personal law remedy under the Muslim Women
(Protection of Rights on Divorce) Act, 1986. A divorced Muslim woman is
entitled to all rights of maintenance available to other equally situated women in the country.
A separate but concurring judgment by a two- judge Bench of Justices B.V.
Nagarathna and Augustine Goerge Masih came on an appeal filed by a Muslim man
challenging a Telangana High Court decision upholding though modifying a Family Court order allowing his wife,
whom he had divorced via triple talaq, interim maintenance under Section 125 of
CrPC.
Mohammad Abdul Samad, in his appeal, said his wife had to
exclusively take recourse
under the 1986 Act rather than Section 125 Cr.PC. He had argued that the 1986
Act was a special law and overrode the Cr.PC provision. He contended that a divorced Muslim woman's application for
maintenance under Section 125 was not maintainable.
Besides, the court pointed out that Section 3 of the 1986 Act requires a man to provide
for a “reasonable and fair
provision of maintenance” to his divorced Muslim wife only during the iddat
period. Once the iddat period expires, the personal law obligation to maintain the divorced Muslim woman ceases.
On the other hand, Section 125 mandates a husband to provide monthly maintenance to his
divorced wife, irrespective
of her faith. “Any divorced wife who has not remarried is
entitled to maintenance by her ex-husband who has sufficient means but has neglected or refused to maintain
her," Justice Nagarathna pointed out.
The top court was hearing an appeal against a Telangana
High Court order in the matter.
_______________________________________________
DIVORCED
- Marriage ended legally. (വിവാഹമോചിതയായ)
ENTITLED
TO - Has the right to. (അവകാശമുണ്ടാവുക, അര്‍ഹതയുണ്ടാവുക)
SECULAR
- Not religiously based. (മതേതരമായ)
REMEDY
- Solution or help.(പരഹാരം, പ്രതിവിധി)
HELD:
Decided or ruled (തീരുമാനിച്ചു, സമ്മതിച്ചു.)
MAINTENANCE:
Financial support, alimony (ജീവനാംശം)
AMICUS
CURIAE: Legal advisor to court.
FORECLOSE:
Prevent or rule out. (വിലക്കുക, തടയുക)
BY
VIRTUE OF: Because of. (ഇന്ന അടിസ്ഥാനത്തില്‍, ഫലമായി)
ENACTMENT:
Passing a law. (നിയമനിര്‍മ്മാണം, നിയമ നിര്‍വ്വഹണം)
EQUALLY
SITUATED: In similar circumstances. (തുല്യമായുള്ള)
CONCURRING:
Agreeing with. (ജോജിച്ച, ഐക്യത്തോടെയുള്ള)
UPHOLDING:
Supporting or maintaining.(പിന്തുണയ്ക്കുക)
EXCLUSIVELY:
Only. (മാത്രമായി)
RECOURSE:
Option for help. (അവലംബിക്കുക, നിവൃത്തി)
OVERRODE:
Disregarded. (അവഗണിക്കുക (v. override)
CONTEND:
Argue.(വാദിക്കുക)
MAINTAINABLE:
Legally supported. (നിയമപരമായി നിലനില്‍ക്കുന്ന)
POINTED
OUT: Highlighted. (ചൂണ്ടിക്കാണിക്കുക)
REASONABLE:
Fair and logical. (ന്യായമായ)
FAIR:
Just and impartial. (നീതിയുക്തമായ)
OBLIGATION:
Duty or responsibility. (കടമ)
MANDATE:
Official requirement. (അനുശാസിക്കുക)
IRRESPECTIVE
OF: Regardless of. (കണക്കിലെടുക്കാതെ, പരിഗണിക്കാതെ)
FAITH:
Religious belief. (വിശ്വാസം)
SUFFICIENT:
Adequate. (മതിയായ, ശേഷിയുള്ള)
MEANS: Resources or capability. (സാമ്പത്തികശേഷി)
_______________________________________________
