Interfaith Marriage Case Stirs Legal Debate in Madhya Pradesh

The Madhya Pradesh High Court stayed a single judge's order involving an interfaith marriage. Heeralal Rathore challenged the earlier decision regarding his daughter's marriage to a Muslim man, citing inconsistencies with the Special Marriage Act. The case highlights legal tensions surrounding interfaith unions and religious laws.

The Madhya Pradesh High Court has intervened in a controversial case surrounding an interfaith marriage. On Friday, a division bench, led by Chief Justice S K Kait and Justice Vivek Jain, issued a temporary stay on a single judge's earlier ruling. This decision came after Heeralal Rathore, the father of the woman involved, lodged an appeal.

Rathore's opposition centered on a ruling from October 22, which called for his daughter Ankita Rathore's statement to be recorded before the Registrar of Marriage. Represented by lawyer Ashok Lalwani, he argued that decisions for marriages between Hindu and Muslim individuals fall outside the Registrar of Marriage's jurisdiction according to the Special Marriage Act.

The single judge previously granted protection for Ankita Rathore and her partner, Hasnain Ansari, who faced societal resistance to their relationship. However, Rathore's counsel referenced past court rulings where similar marriages were deemed irregular, raising questions about the legal validation of interfaith unions under religious and statutory laws.

(With inputs from agencies.)