Kerala High Court Rules First Wife Must Be Heard Before Muslim Man's Second Marriage Registration

The Kerala High Court has delivered a landmark ruling stating that a Muslim man's first wife must be given an opportunity to be heard before his second marriage can be registered under the state's common marriage rules. Justice P. V. Kunhikrishnan emphasized that when registering a marriage, secular law prevails over personal law, and constitutional rights are supreme. The court noted this gives Muslim women a voice and prevents them from being "silent spectators" to their husband's subsequent marriages.