‘Court of Kazi’ Has No Legal Standing, Rules Supreme Court in Landmark Verdict

New Delhi(The Uttam Hindu): The Supreme Court has reaffirmed that Sharia Courts or Courts of Kazi have no legal status under Indian law, and their decisions are not binding. Citing the 2014 Vishwa Lochan Madan v. Union of India case, the Court clarified that fatwas or rulings by such bodies are unenforceable and hold no constitutional weight.

In a ruling dated February 4, made public on April 22, Justices Sudhanshu Dhulia and Ahsanuddin Amanullah emphasized that any decision by these bodies is valid only if voluntarily accepted by the concerned parties, and even then, it holds no authority over third parties or the state.

The case involved a Muslim woman who challenged a 2018 Allahabad High Court ruling that upheld a Family Court’s decision denying her maintenance. She had married a BSF personnel in 2002, and after years of alleged domestic abuse and dowry demands, she was forced out of the home in 2008. Her husband had previously sought divorce through the ‘Court of Kazi’ in Bhopal, which was dismissed.

The Supreme Court found the Family Court’s reasoning unsustainable and ruled that maintenance could not be denied. It ordered the husband to pay the woman Rs 4,000 monthly from the date of her original petition, along with maintenance for both children until they reach adulthood.