SC stays Uttarakhand court order banning ‘fatwas’

New Delhi, October 12

The Supreme Court today stayed an Uttarakhand High Court’s order that had banned all religious outfits, bodies, panchayats and groups in the state from issuing “fatwas”.

The interim order came from a Bench headed by Justice Madan B Lokur on a petition filed by Jamiat Ulama-e-Hind challenging the HC’s August 30 order. The Bench also issued notice to the state government on the petition.

A “fatwa” is an advice/opinion given by qualified Islamic scholars in response to a query on a religious matter and it has no legal sanctity. The Jamiat Ulama-e-Hind contended the HC order was “illegal and unsustainable” as legality of “fatwa” had been already adjudicated by the top court in 2014.

The petitioner also claimed that “fatwas”, which are based on Islamic law, were not binding on anyone. — TNS