Govt. to amend Muslim Laws: Ali Sabri

• The Government was committed to uphold the policy of  “One country-one law”
• Ven. Rathana Thera had said that the Muslim laws were violating human rights of Muslim women and girls

By Ajith Siriwardana and Yohan Perera  

Justice Minister Ali Sabri informed Parliament yesterday that steps were being taken to amend the Muslim Laws and that a Cabinet Paper had already been presented in that regard.   

Responding to a question raised by Venerable Athuraliye Rathana Thera under 27(2), the Minister said the Government was committed to uphold the policy of  “One country-one law”.

  
He said he had presented a Cabinet Paper to amend the minimum marriageable age of Muslim girls as 18, to permit women to act as Kathis and also to make it necessary to get the consent of Muslim women when they get married.  

Ven. Rathana Thera had said that the Muslim laws were violating human rights of Muslim women and girls.   The Minister said if the personal laws were to be abolished, all the personal laws such as Muslim Laws, Kandyan law and Thesawalamai Law should be abolished altogether through a social discussion.  

“It can be done when the new Constitution is drafted through a social discussion, “he said.