India finally bans instant divorce

India’s Supreme Court on Tuesday banned the controversial practice of instant divorce practised by some members of the Muslim community.

India is one of the few countries where a Muslim man could divorce his wife by saying the word ‘talaq’ – ‘divorce’ in Arabic – three times in quick succession.

A 3-2 majority judgement by five-judges, ruled that the practice was unconstitutional, illegal and a violation of the right to equality.

“We are very happy, we have won”, Zakia Soman of the Indian Muslim Women’s Movement group, one of the petitioners, said.

“We, the Muslim women, were till so far deprived of a law which is gender-just, which upholds our rights in marriage and in family.

“It is because of the domination and hegemony of patriarchal elements that Muslim women have suffered for the last 70 years. It is a historic day for us”.