New Delhi

SCThe Supreme Court today issued notice to the Centre on a plea by a Parsi woman challenging the Parsi Marriage and Divorce Act that allows local Parsi community to act as jury in the grant of divorce to an estranged couple.

The bench of Justice Kurian Joseph and Justice Deepak Gupta issued notice on a petition by Naomi Sam Irani from Maharashtra who has challenged the 1936 law that gave voice to local Parsi community in the grant of divorce to an estranged husband and wife, wondering why such a law has not been challenged so far.

In the last hearing of the matter on November 24, the court had asked the Additionbal Solicitor General A. N. S. Nadkarni to seek the views of the Government of India in the matter.””

The court had directed the petitioner Noami Sam Irani serve a copy of the writ petition on the ASG Nadkarni.

Irani has contended that the involvement of local Parsi community in matter of matrimonial dispute violated her fundamental rights.

Urging the court to intervene in the matter, she has cited the recent apex court verdict striking down triple talaq as being violative of Muslim women’s right to life and dignity.