‘Ban Polygamy, Protect Muslim Women’: Supreme Court Seeks Centre’s Response On Plea Seeking Safeguards

Published 31 July 2026 · general

‘Ban Polygamy, Protect Muslim Women’: Supreme Court Seeks Centre’s Response On Plea Seeking Safeguards Reported By, Edited By Last Updated: July 31, 2026, 13:20 IST

‘Ban Polygamy, Protect Muslim Women’: Supreme Court Seeks Centre’s Response On Plea Seeking Safeguards Reported By, Edited By Last Updated: July 31, 2026, 13:20 IST The petition seeks criminalisation of polygamy in Muslim community and demands economic security and legal protection for women abandoned by their husbands after a second marriage Rapid Read The petition has been filed by Zakia Soman, co-founder of the Bharatiya Muslim Mahila Andolan (BMMA). The Supreme Court has issued a notice to the Centre on a petition seeking the abolition of polygamy among Muslims and stronger legal safeguards for Muslim women. The petition has been filed by Zakia Soman, co-founder of the Bharatiya Muslim Mahila Andolan (BMMA). It seeks the criminalisation of polygamy in the Muslim community and demands economic security and legal protection for women abandoned by their husbands after a second marriage.

The petitioners argued that merely relying on a Uniform Civil Code (UCC) to prohibit polygamy would not be sufficient. They contended that, given the ground realities, a separate and comprehensive legal framework is needed to protect the rights of Muslim women. The plea also seeks the implementation of a ‘Muslim Modified Code’, which would make the registration of Muslim marriages and divorces mandatory and provide explicit legal protection for women’s rights. BMMA REPORT CITED The petition cites BMMA’s report, ‘Breaking the Silence: Experiences of 2,500 Muslim Women on Polygamy’, highlighting the social, economic and psychological impact of the practice. According to the report 85% of Muslim women said polygamy should be abolished by law. 87% favoured criminalising polygamy. 93% demanded a complete ban on child marriage. 79% of first wives were not informed before their husbands entered into a second marriage.

88% said their consent was not taken before the second marriage. 54% were abandoned by their husbands after the second marriage. 36% of women and their children received no financial support. 47% had to return to their parental homes due to financial hardship. Nearly 50% reported severe mental stress, depression or suicidal thoughts. 77% had dropped out of education, while 43% had no independent source of income. BMMA’S STAND ON UCC The petition states that BMMA does not support the direct implementation of a Uniform Civil Code, arguing that it could affect constitutional guarantees relating to religious freedom. Instead, the organisation has proposed the codification of Muslim Personal Law based on a progressive interpretation of the Quran and the constitutional principles of equality and women’s rights. BMMA was also among the key petitioners in the Supreme Court case challenging the practice of triple talaq.