Muslim Personal Law Board Says Won’t Oppose Scrapping of Section 377 by SC

The All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB), one of the supporters of Section 377 and a petitioner in the Kaushal case, has said that they will not oppose scrapping of Section 377 by Supreme Court and will not take part in the ongoing case.

Talking to NDTV, AIMPLB member Yusuf Hatim Muchhala said, “We left the matter to the Supreme Court. We will not participate in the 377 proceedings.”

AIMPLB is a non governmental organisation constituted in 1973 to protect Muslim Personal Laws. The organisation has in the past staunchly opposed any move to decriminalize homosexuality in India, calling it as unIslamic and going against Islamic teachings. After the Delhi High Court read down Section 377 in 2009, AIMPLB was one of the petitioners in the Supreme Court opposing the verdict. A two judge bench of SC had recriminalised homosexuality in 2013.

Supreme Court is currently listening to a bunch of petitions that have challenged the validity of Section 377 on constitutional grounds. The Government of India, in an affidavit submitted to the court, too has said that it will let the courts decide on the matter and abide by its decision.