LUCKNOW: The All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) has ‘called for the deletion of Article 44 of ‘the Constitution which deals with the of a uniform civil code.
The participants at the recent two-day executive committee meeting of the Board held at New Delhi has called for a Constitutional amendment to do away with Article 44 or the introduction of an exemption clause to indicate that a uniform civil code would not be enforced upon Muslims and other “unwilling communities” such as tribal and Dalit communities and “other minorities.
Article 44 states: “The State shall endeavor. to secure for the citizens a “inform civil code throughout the territory of India.”
The Board’s stand assumes significance in the light of the recent Supreme Court judgment which asked the Union Government to “endeavor to secure a uniform civil code throughout India.”
The AIMPLB’s meeting chaired by president of the MPLB Maulana Abul Has an Ali Nadwa, popularly known as Ali Mian, rejected the verdict and pleaded that the Center move a review petition against the judgment in the Supreme Court.
The Board had indicated that notwithstanding the observations made by the Apex Court it was ready to dilute its stand on the personal laws (read religious practices) of the Muslim community which were “guaranteed under Article 25 of the Constitution.” Legal advisor of the Board Abdul Mannan said, “Muslims right to practical 25 which pertains to the Fundamental Rights.” This article guarantees every citizen the “freedom of conscience and the right to freely practice, profess and propagate his religion.” Mr. Mannan said that the different aspect of Muslim personal law inheritance, succession, adoption, marriage and divorce was part of the religion.
Article extracted from this publication >> June 30, 1995
