Govt to amend controversial circular on Muslim marriage

The Kerala government today informed the High Court that the controversial government circular on registration of marriage of Muslim boys and girls would be amneded and sought two weeks time to do so.
The government in an affidavit sought two weeks time to make necessary amendments in this regard.
A division bench comprising Chief justice Manjula Chellur and Justice K Vinod Chandran recorded the government's submission and disposed the PILs clarifying that the petitioners could approach the court again in case of any grievances regarding the amended notification.
The PILs, seeking quashing of the circular, were filed by Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) state secretary, Pratheesh Viswanath, trustee of Kozhikode based Punarjani Charitable trust, P P Sapna and Kerala Yukti Vadi sangam.

The VHP stated that the circular was issued to defeat the provision of the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006, with an intention to grant legal sanctity to child marriage prevailing in Muslim community. They said the circular was illegal and against the provisions of the Child Marriage Act.
The circular issued by the Local Self Government, which is under Indian Union Muslim League, the second largest partner in the ruling Congress led UDF in Kerala, had stated that for registering Muslim marriages, girls need to complete only 16 years of age and only a certificate from a religious institution was needed.