Local News from Sri Lanka: The Cabinet of Ministers approved the proposal to amend the Muslim Marriage and Divorce Act. Muslim Religious and Cultural Affairs Minister Abdul Haleem and Justice and Prison Reforms Minister Thalatha Atukorale submitted the proposal.
During the latest discussion with the involvement of Muslim ministers and parliamentarians in the country, an agreement was reached on certain parts of the Muslim Marriage and Divorce Act requiring modifications. A group of Muslim parliamentarians subsequently prepared a proposition on how to amend the act and subsequently submitted it to the Minister of Justice.
The proposal contains 11 amendments to the law including the legal age for a Muslim marriage. The amendments include: the age of marriage for both the bride and the groom should be 18 years, the bride should sign the marriage register as a sign of her consent, upgrade the required qualification of a Kadi to the lawyer and permit female Kadis.
