Bombay High Court Upholds Muslim Personal Law on Polygamy

The Bombay High Court ruled that a Muslim man can register more than one marriage as per personal law, directing Thane authorities to consider a man's application to register his third marriage. The decision challenges the Maharashtra Regulation of Marriage Act, advocating for Muslim personal rights.

The Bombay High Court has asserted that Muslim personal law allows for polygamous marriages, permitting a man to register multiple unions. This ruling came as the court reviewed a case involving a man seeking registration of his third marriage to an Algerian woman.

Justices B P Colabawalla and Somasekhar Sundaresan instructed the Thane Municipal Corporation's marriage registration office to revisit its initial refusal, which was based on the Maharashtra Regulation of Marriage Bureaus and Registration of Marriage Act that defines marriage as singular.

The court emphasized that the Act does not negate Muslim personal laws permitting four wives, and required the petitioner to submit necessary documents to move forward with the registration process.

(With inputs from agencies.)