The Supreme Court has delivered a powerful verdict that directly challenges deep-rooted patriarchal traditions in Muslim marriages, particularly those still prevalent in smaller towns and rural areas.

The Ruling Under Muslim Personal Law

A bench comprising Justices Sanjay Karol and N K Singh quashed a Calcutta High Court order that had allowed a man to retain gifts given by his father-in-law during the marriage. Applying the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Divorce) Act, 1986, the Supreme Court made it clear: all gifts given by parents, whether to their daughter or to the bridegroom at the time of marriage, must be returned to the Muslim woman if the marriage ends in divorce.

Grounding Justice In Social Reality

The court emphasized that judicial reasoning must be grounded in socia

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