Muslim men will not be able to register more than one marriage, Supreme Court dismisses petition
The Supreme Court has dismissed a petition challenging the Bombay High Court’s decision to allow a Muslim man to register more than one marriage.
The Supreme Court said that the petitioner is not a party in the Bombay High Court, so it will not hear his petition. Nationalist Shiv Sena president Jai Bhagwan Goel had filed a petition in the Supreme Court in this matter.
The Bombay High Court, in one of its decisions, had said that Muslim men can register more than one marriage, as their personal laws allow them to marry four at a time.
What was the decision of the Bombay High Court?
The Bombay High Court said that there is nothing in this Act that prevents a Muslim person from registering his third marriage. This Act is not outside the personal laws of Muslims.
The court stressed that the Thane Municipal Corporation had registered the marriage of the petitioner with his second wife. The Municipal Corporation, while presenting its case, had said that it did not have all the necessary documents at the time of marriage registration, following which the couple was asked to submit all the relevant documents within two weeks. The High Court further said that once the documents are submitted, the Municipal Corporation will have 10 days to issue the marriage certificate or refuse it after a personal hearing.
