Even as the Supreme Court is being praised for its verdict on decriminalising adultery, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi has compared Section 497 to the offence of triple talaq and has stated that the Muslim women rights ordinance was not justified. 

 

In a series of tweets, shortly after the verdict was announced, Owaisi argued that Section 377 asserted the decriminalisation of homosexuality and Section 497 too now is decriminalised, but he did not agree with the act of instant divorce or ‘triple talaq’ among Muslims having a penal provision and being criminalised.   

 

“The Supreme Court didn’t say 'triple talaq' is unconstitutional, but the apex court has said sections 377 and 497 are unconstitutional. Will Modi government learn from these judgments and take back their unconstitutional ordinance on 'triple talaq',” the AIMIM chief said in his tweet. 

 

Owaisi criticised the recent ordinance passed by the Narendra Modi government, which made triple talaq a penal offence carrying a jail term of three years or fine or both for the husband, and termed it as “unconstitutional”. He also emphasized that the Supreme Court had never termed the act of 'triple talaq' as unconstitutional and had only set it aside.