By RINA,
New Delhi : A Muslim officer of Indian Air Force (IAF) has filed an application in Delhi High Court challenging his department’s practice to deduct maintenance allowance for his divorced wife from his salary. Justice Gita Mittal has sought a Muslim lawyer’s help in this connection.
IAF sergeant Mohammad Azam Ansari married Fatima Khatoon in 1999 as per Muslim tradition but divorced her in 2001, although a child was born in their family in 2000. Later, Ms. Fatima requested officers to deduct her maintenance allowance from her past husband’s salary and also filed a civil case in Patna, Bihar, in India.
Mr. Ansari told that he protested against salary deductions and did not give the sum to his divorced wife as the case was under hearing in the court but his officers continued the practice.
He also informed that Patna court rejected Fatima Khatoon’s application but IAF officers are still deducting maintenance allowance from his salary.
Mr. Ansari has pleaded in his application that the presence of Muslim Women (Protection of Right on Divorce), military regulation does not apply in his case, and so, family disputes of Muslim society should be settled in the light of Muslim Personal Law.
After Muslim officers’ beards, divorced woman’s maintenance allowance is second instance in which IAF regulations clash with Islamic traditions.