In a landmark judgment that underscores the supremacy of constitutional law over religious customs, the Kerala High Court has ruled that a Muslim man’s first wife must be heard before his second marriage can be registered under the Kerala Registration of Marriages (Common) Rules, 2008.
Justice P.V. Kunhikrishnan, delivering the verdict, held that while Sharia or Muslim personal law permits polygamy under certain conditions, those permissions cannot bypass the constitutional obligations of fairness, equality, and due process when the marriage is to be registered under civil law.
The ruling came while hearing a writ petition filed by a Muslim man and his second wife, challenging a registrar’s refusal to register their marriage. The petitioner’s first marriage remains valid and was already registered; he also has two children from that union. The couple sought registration of the second marriage to secure property rights for their children from the second relationship.
However, the Registrar of Marriages rejected the application on legal grounds, noting that the first wife’s consent or participation had not been recorded, a procedural requirement under Rule 11 of the Kerala Registration of Marriages (Common) Rules, 2008), which mandates verification of marital status before registering a new marriage.
Justice Kunhikrishnan dismissed the plea, stating that the first wife’s voice cannot be ignored in such proceedings.
“A Muslim first wife cannot be a silent spectator to the registration of her husband’s second marriage,” the court noted.
The court clarified that even if Sharia law permits multiple marriages, civil registration must respect constitutional safeguards. If the first wife raises objections to the validity of the second marriage, the registrar is duty-bound to withhold registration and refer the matter to a competent court to determine its legality under religious customary law.
“If the first wife objects to the registration of the second marriage alleging that it is invalid, the registrar shall not register it, and the parties must approach a competent court,” the order stated.
Justice Kunhikrishnan emphasised that constitutional protections under Articles 14 and 15, which guarantee equality and prohibit gender discrimination, must take precedence when personal law conflicts with the principles of justice and dignity.
“The first wife must not be neglected or treated cruelly. The husband’s right to a second marriage cannot override the woman’s right to equality and dignity,” the judge said.
The court added that registration of marriage is a civil, secular act, and therefore must comply with state and constitutional laws, even if the marriage itself is solemnised under religious norms.
Legal scholars have hailed the verdict as a progressive balancing of Sharia and constitutional jurisprudence, reinforcing the idea that personal law cannot operate in isolation from the nation’s constitutional framework.
The judgment sets a significant precedent for marriage registrars across Kerala and potentially other states, ensuring that Muslim women are heard and protected in cases involving polygamous unions.
Notably, the ruling strengthens the rights of Muslim women to challenge arbitrary second marriages that could affect their financial, emotional, or social security, while reaffirming that constitutional morality must guide all acts of civil registration.
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