Supreme Court seeks details of instant triple talaq FIRs, chargesheets

The Supreme Court on Wednesday asked the Centre to provide details about the number of FIRs and chargesheets filed against men accused of pronouncing instant triple talaq to divorce their wives, in violation of the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Act, 2019, which criminalised the practice.

A Bench, led by CJI Sanjiv Khanna, said this while hearing multiple petitions challenging the validity of the Act. It posted the matter for final hearing in the week commencing March 17.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta defended the law, contending that penalising an activity was a matter of legislative policy. On the other hand, petitioners’ counsel Nizam Pasha submitted that the mere utterance of the word ‘talaq’ thrice has been criminalised.