National desk
22 October
Sandeep Dhand Ludhiana
The Bombay High Court has ruled that Muslim men can register polygamous marriages as their personal laws permit them to have up to four wives. This decision was given after a petition from a Muslim man whose third marriage to an Algerian woman was not registered by the Thane Municipal Corporation.
The division bench of Justices BP Kolabawala and Somshekhar Sundaresan directed the Deputy Marriage Registration Office to review and make a decision regarding the registration. The man had applied for registration in February last year, but the office rejected the request, citing the Maharashtra Regulation of Marriage Bureau and Registration of Marriage Act, which limits marriage registration to only one spouse.
The court ruled that the man’s personal law allows him to have more than one wife. However, the registration office claimed the necessary documents were not submitted. The court directed the petitioner to provide all required documents within two weeks for the registration to proceed.
This ruling highlights the distinction between personal laws and state marriage laws, ensuring the rights of individuals under their religious practices.