Dehradun: The All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) has announced protests against a proposed Uttarakhand framework that would require qazis and maulvis to carry unique identification numbers before they solemnise Muslim marriages. The AIMPLB plans to hold demonstrations at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi starting September 17.
The proposal, initiated by the Uttarakhand Waqf Board, seeks to align the nikahnama with the state’s Uniform Civil Code (UCC). Under the framework, qazis would be assigned a unique identification number (UIN) by management committees of mosques, madrasas and other religious institutions operating under the Waqf Board.
Uttarakhand Waqf Board Chief Shadab Shams said the move aims to fix accountability and prevent injustice. He told reporters that knowing the identity of the qazi solemnising a nikah would help curb cases where individuals from other faiths undergo religious conversion to marry. He added that if one partner belongs to a different faith, the marriage could be solemnised under the Special Marriage Act without pressuring conversion.
The AIMPLB, which has already challenged the UCC in the High Court, calls the proposal an attack on personal laws. AIMPLB Founder Member Muhammad Sulaiman told reporters that the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party would select qazis it favours, particularly from the Muslim Rashtriya Manch, the Muslim affiliate of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. He described the move as “Unislamic” and said the community would find it unwelcome.
Sulaiman also noted that qazis are not mandatory in a nikah ceremony, and that an elderly relative can perform the role. He said that historically, district-appointed qazis would delegate to naib qazis during peak marriage seasons.
The revised nikahnama would also require Aadhaar cards from the bride, groom, their representatives and witnesses. In line with the UCC, columns for second, third and fourth marriages would be removed from the document, as polygamy is prohibited under the code.
The Uttarakhand Waqf Board and the UCC panel are scheduled to meet to review and finalise the draft before implementation across the state.
