Justice Surya Prakash Kesarwani, in his order which began with the Sanskrit verse from the Manu Smriti, 'yatra naryastu pujyante ramante tatra devata' (gods reside where women are worshipped), said that all citizens, including Muslim women, have Fundamental Rights which cannot be infringed under the garb of personal law.
Uttarakhand has become the first state in India to implement the Uniform Civil Code (UCC), fulfilling a key promise made by the ruling BJP ahead of the 2022 Assembly elections. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami unveiled the UCC notification and launched a portal for mandatory online registration of marriages, divorces, and live-in relationships. The UCC aims to create equal laws for all citizens regardless of their religion, marking a historic moment in the state's legal landscape.
The Allahabad high court has observed that marriage between two Hindus is sacrosanct and it cannot be dissolved within one year of marriage unless there is exceptional hardship or exceptional depravity as provided under the Hindu Marriage Act.
The Madhya Pradesh High Court will decide whether Jain individuals can seek relief under the Hindu Marriage Act, including divorce by mutual consent. This decision stems from a family court's refusal to accept a divorce petition from a Jain software engineer, citing the community's minority status. The high court appointed an amicus curiae to assist in the case, and the next hearing is scheduled for March 18.
The court observed this while dismissing an appeal of a man who had challenged a Family Court order that allowed a plea of his wife for divorce on the ground of cruelty.
On the basis of her committee's report, the UCC in Uttarakhand established mandatory registration for marriages and live-in relationships, banned polygamy, and provided equal inheritance rights for women.
Such a legislation, the panel said, should be made applicable not only to the NRIs but also to those individuals who come within the definition of 'Overseas Citizens of India' as laid down in the Citizenship Act, 1955.
In an affidavit filed in the court in response to petitions challenging the law, the Union of India said that despite the top court setting aside the practice in 2017, it has "not worked as a sufficient deterrent in bringing down the number of divorces by this practice" among the members of the Muslim community.
The Supreme Court on Wednesday refused to entertain pleas seeking a direction to the Centre to frame religion and gender-neutral uniform laws governing subjects like marriage, divorce, inheritance and alimony, saying it cannot direct Parliament to "enact the law".
The couple said the village has boycotted them and it is not possible for them to live a secluded life.
In a judgment of far-reaching implications, the Supreme Court on Wednesday ruled that a Muslim woman can seek maintenance from her husband under Section 125 of the CrPC and said the "religion neutral" provision is applicable to all married women irrespective of their religion.
'It wasn't a happy time for us because Ibrahim was just three and we were very fond of the children. Tiger was really fond of Ibrahim and he would say, "That's a good lad." He didn't get that time with him. So we felt doubly deprived to lose Amrita and lose the two kids.
The Supreme Court of India has ruled that maternity leave is a fundamental right and cannot be denied to a woman based on the number of children she has from previous relationships. The court overturned a Madras High Court decision that had denied maternity leave to a Tamil Nadu government school teacher who had two children from a previous marriage. The Supreme Court emphasized the importance of reproductive rights, including maternity benefits, as part of international human rights law. The court also highlighted the right to life under Article 21 of the Indian Constitution, which includes the right to health, dignity, and reproductive choice. The decision has significant implications for women's rights and reproductive healthcare in India.
Uttarakhand will become the first state in independent India to implement the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) on January 27. The UCC will bring about uniformity in the society and ensure equal rights and responsibilities for all citizens. The law was passed by the state assembly in February 2024 and received presidential assent a month later. The UCC will govern and regulate laws relating to marriage and divorce, succession, live-in relationships and related matters. It sets equal marriageable age for men and women, grounds of divorce and procedures across all religions, and bans polygamy and 'halala'.
The Bombay high court has upheld the conviction of three men for raping one of their partners, ruling that when a woman says no, it means no, and there can be no presumption of consent based on her past sexual activities.
'It was really difficult for Laluji to expel his son from the party and sever family ties with him.'
RJD president Lalu Prasad has expelled his elder son, Tej Pratap Yadav, from the party for six years for "irresponsible behavior" and snapped all family ties with him. The decision comes after a viral Facebook post claimed that Yadav, a former Bihar minister, was "in a relationship" with a young woman.
The two sections were not retained in the new bills as the government thought they will go against the judgments of the Supreme Court.
A religious certificate will only be required for live-in relationship registrations in Uttarakhand under the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) if the partners have a pre-existing relationship falling under the prohibited category. This was clarified by a member of the rules drafting committee for the UCC, Manu Gaur. The UCC applies to all residents of the state, irrespective of their religion, and bans polygamy and child marriage.
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has announced that the state will become the first in independent India to implement the Uniform Civil Code (UCC), with the date of implementation to be announced soon. The UCC, which aims to unify personal laws for all citizens, has been approved by the state cabinet and preparations for its implementation are almost complete. Dhami stated that the training process for UCC implementation is nearly finalized and the government is aiming for a swift rollout. Speculation is rife that the UCC could be implemented on Republic Day, coinciding with the conclusion of municipal elections. The UCC includes provisions related to marriage, divorce, annulment of marriage, succession, and live-in relationships. The state government has introduced a dedicated portal for online registration of related matters and has authorized Common Service Centers (CSC) to simplify access for citizens. In remote areas, CSC agents will provide door-to-door services. The Gram Panchayat Development Officer will serve as the Sub-Registrar for registration work in rural areas. The government has also implemented Aadhaar-based registration to make the process easier. Citizens can track their application status through email and SMS, and an online complaint portal has been set up. Dhami dismissed Congress allegations of divisive politics, emphasizing that the UCC provides a uniform system and law for all.
Hardik Pandya marked his 31st birthday on October 11th, enveloped by his family's love and support.
A woman in West Bengal's Howrah district allegedly convinced her husband to sell his kidney for Rs 10 lakh to pay for their daughter's education. After the surgery, she fled with another man, taking the entire amount of money with her.
Overruling a nearly five-decade judgment, the Kerala high court has restored the rights of Muslim women for divorce without resorting to judicial proceedings.
The Supreme Court of India has ruled that a daughter has an indefeasible right to secure educational expenses from her parents, who can be compelled to provide necessary funds within their means. This ruling came in a matrimonial dispute where a daughter studying in Ireland refused to accept Rs 43 lakh given by her father towards her studies, which was part of the total alimony being paid to her mother. The court stated that the daughter has a fundamental right to pursue her education and that the parents can be compelled to provide necessary funds within their financial resources. The court also granted a decree of divorce by mutual consent to the estranged couple, directing them to abide by the terms of a settlement agreement they had reached.
'Who has seen what Sharia is? Who knows what actual Sharia is?'
The sacrament based Hindu marriage may be dissolved (in law), in limited circumstances and too only on the strength of evidence led by the parties, it said.
rediffGURU Anu Krishna, co-founder of Unfear Changemakers, offers expert advice about how you can take charge of your life and relationships.
The Lok Sabha passed the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025, with the ruling NDA defending it as beneficial for minorities while the opposition called it "anti-Muslim". All amendments moved by the opposition were rejected and the bill was passed with 288 votes in favor and 232 against. Union Minorities Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju asserted that India is the safest place in the world for minorities, refuting claims of their insecurity.
Encourage your sister to share her feelings and thoughts about her marriage. Listen to her without judgment and offer support, advises rediffguru Dr Ashish Sehgal.
Desai and members of the Uttarakhand panel met the Law Commission chairman, Justice (retired) Ritu Raj Awasthi, and members KT Sankaran, Anand Paliwal and DP Verma.
A five-judge constitution bench of Justices SK Kaul, Sanjiv Khanna, A S Oka, Vikram Nath and J K Maheshwari had reserved its judgement on September 29, 2022.
The Supreme Court said on Thursday that the purpose of criminal proceedings is to bring a wrongdoer to justice and not to seek revenge or pursue vendetta.
The petitioner woman, who had added her now estranged husband's surname to her maiden name, said the requirement was in violation of the provisions of the Constitution.
Ask Rediff's Love Guru your relationship related questions and she will give you an honest answer.
Choreographer-turned-director Remo D'Souza can sure set the stage on fire but isn't quite the storyteller, notes Sukanya Verma.
A first information report (FIR) has been filed against four people in connection with the suicide of a 34-year-old deputy general manager of a private firm, Atul Subhash, who died by suicide, accusing his wife, her family members, and a judge of harassment, extortion, and corruption.
Seeking to clear the statute books of antiquated laws, Parliament on Thursday cleared a bill to repeal 36 redundant acts, including one which amends the marriage laws.
Seeking to clear the statute books of antiquated laws, a bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha on Monday to repeal 36 acts, including one which amends the marriage laws.
A law firm called Divorce-Online said that 33 per cent of the 5,000 behaviour-based divorce petitions filed with the firm in the past year mentioned the site.
Christmas romance, heists, thrillers, it's all there on OTT this week. Sukanya Verma lists her recommendations.
