MP High Court Rules Against Validity of Interfaith Marriage
MP High Court dismisses interfaith couple's plea, ruling union of Muslim man and Hindu woman invalid under Muslim personal law
Bhopal: Madhya Pradesh high court has ruled that the union of a Muslim man and a ‘fire worshipper’ (Hindu) woman cannot be a valid wedding under the Muslim personal law.
Dismissing the plea of an interfaith couple seeking police protection and registration of their marriage, a bench of the high court comprising Justice G Ahluwalia observed, “As per Mahomedan law, the marriage of a Muslim boy with a girl who is an idolatress or a fire-worshipper is not a valid marriage. Even if the marriage is registered under the Special Marriage Act, the marriage would be no more a valid marriage and it would be an irregular marriage”.
The petitioners, Sarika Sen (23) and Safee Khan (23), sought police protection and registration of their marriage under the Special Marriage Act in the wake of opposition to their wedding by the former’s family.
Both of them hailed from Anuppur district of Madhya Pradesh.
“It is not the case of petitioners that in case the marriage is not performed, then they are still interested to live in a live-in relationship. It is also not the case of petitioners that petitioner No One (woman) would accept Muslim religion. Under these circumstances, this court is of the considered opinion that no case is made out warranting interference”, the high court bench has observed.