Proposal on amending Muslim Marriage & Divorce Act to be handed over to Justice Minister

Sri Lanka’s Muslim parliamentarians have decided to handover a proposal to Minister of Justice Thalatha Athukorale today (15) regarding the amendments required to be made to the Muslim Marriage and Divorce Act.

UPFA MP Faiszer Musthapha said that Cabinet approval will be obtained for the proposed amendments in the near future and that subsequently it will be tabled and adopted in the Parliament.

During a recent discussion held with the participation of the country’s Muslim Ministers and MPs, an agreement had been reached with regard to the sections of the Muslim Marriage and Divorce Act that need to be amended.

Accordingly the group of Muslim MPs has presently prepared a proposal on how the act should be amended and it is expected to be pesented to the Justice Minister.

The proposal reportedly contains 11 amendments to the Act including the legal age for a Muslim marriage.

The amendments include:

• The age of marriage for both the bride and the groom should be 18 years
• The bride should sign the Register of Marriage as a sign of her consent
• Upgrade the required qualification of a Kadi to Attorney-at-Law
• Permit female Kadis (women who will adjudicate family law of Muslims)

Meanwhile UNP MP S.M. Marikkar said the Muslim parliamentarians have agreed on amending the Muslim Marriage and Divorce Act.

He also said that steps will be taken to carry out the issuance of Halal certification thorough the Sri Lanka Standards Institution (SLSI), similar to what is being done in Singapore.