Responding to the Indian Supreme Court’s verdict today that the practice of talaq-e-biddat (known as ‘triple talaq’) is unconstitutional, Asmita Basu, Programmes Director at Amnesty International India, said:

“We welcome the Supreme Court judgment. Triple talaq is a discriminatory practice that violates women’s right to equality, and has devastated the lives of many Muslim women.

“The Supreme Court’s bar on this regressive practice is a step forward for women’s rights in India. We urge the government to repeal all religious family laws that violate women’s right to equality, without exception.”

The ruling was pronounced on a petition filed two years ago by Shayara Bano, a Muslim woman from the state of Uttarakhand whose husband of 15 years sent her a letter with ‘talaq’ written three times on it and left her. Similar petitions filed by four other women were heard with Shayara Bano’s petition.