India's Law Commission Is Asking Citizens How They Feel About Ending Anti-Women Practices In Religion

While the Modi government is arguing that the practice of triple talaq and polygamy "cannot be regarded as essential or integral part of the religion," the Law Commission is asking citizens how they feel about ending several religious practices which are regarded as violative of women's rights.

In order to formulate a Uniform Civil Code, the Law Commission has sent out of list of 16 questions to gauge public opinion, The Times of India report today.

The Law Commission has sought public opinion on whether to ban or regulate polygamy, ending the practice of Maitri-Karar which is practiced in Gujarat despite being outlawed, whether to abolish triple talaq or retain in it custom with legal sanctity or retain it with amendments, and whether the two-year waiting period for finalisation of divorce among Christians is a problem for women.

"It took us two months to frame the questions keeping in mind prevailing customs and practices in different religions to elicit meaningful responses from the public," Justice B S Chauhan, chairman of the Law Commission, told TOI.

"Family law reforms has to view women's rights as an end in itself rather than a matter of constitutional provisions, religious rights and political debate alone," he said.

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