Fake Kazis put lakhs of married Muslim women in quandary,Gauhati High Court to tighten the noose

GUWAHATI: Lakhs of married Muslim women in Assam are in deep trouble after their marriage certificates issued by fake Kazis found legally invalid for various purposes, including enrollment of names in the updated National Register of Citizens (NRC).

Taking a serious note on the development the Gauhati High Court on Thursday asked the Assam Government to take strict actions, including filing criminal cases against such so-called Kazis in case they further issue any marriage certificate. The high court has asked the government to take adequate measures to prevent innocent Muslim women from suffering and facing inconveniences in future due to issuing of marriage certificates by fake Kazis.

The office of the All Assam Muslim Marriages and Divorces Registrars and Kazi Association has welcomed the Gauhati High Court’s order and appealed to the State Government to take actions against fake Kazis.

The Registrars and Kazi Association president Maulana Fakhruddin Ahmed Qasimi told reporters here on Saturday that such fake Kazis have so far issued lakhs of fake marriage registration certificates. He said when such fake certificates submitted by Muslim married women as linkage document with their parents in order to enroll their names in the updated NRC, these documents were rejected by the NRC authorities resulted in non-inclusion of names of lakhs of married Muslim women in the complete draft NRC.

“It has caused disastrous consequences because issuance of marriage certificates now by the government appointed Kazis will not be acceptable to the NRC authority since these will be issued after August 31, 2015. Any linkage document issued after August 31, 2015 will not be considered valid by the NRC authority. These fake Kaziz will be solely responsible if names of 10 to 12 lakhs married Muslim women, are not included even in the final NRC,” Qasimi said.

Qasimi said issuance of such fake marriage certificates have also put many Muslim women in great difficulties to get their names included in voters’ list, land records and passport.

All genuine Kazis appointed by the State Government under the Assam Muslim Marriages and Divorces Registration Act, 1935, are members of the office of the All Assam Muslim Marriages and Divorces Registrars and Kazi Association. On other hand fake Kazis are members of Muslim NGOs such as All Assam Imam Council, North East India Emarat-E-Shoria, Assam Tanzim-E- Aeimma, Assam Tanzim-E-Aimma Masjid and 20 other similar NGOs.

Qasimi said his association had filed a writ petition in the Gauhati High Court seeking the court’s intervention to prevent fake Kazis to issue fake marriage registration certificates to lakhs of innocent Muslim people. “We are thankful to the high court for its Thursday’s order on the basis of our writ petition,” Qasimi said.

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