Permission for polygamy of Muslim men in Sri Lanka

The Ministry of Justice has decided to include amendments to the Muslim Marriage and Divorce Act, including making a policy decision to allow polygamy of Muslim men on strict conditions.

As per the proposal made by the Ministry of Justice at its Cabinet Meeting held on 8th March 2021 on the recommendation of the Cabinet Sub-Committee on Legislative Drafting It was decided to ban polygamy of Muslim men, introduce new laws and abolish Khati courts.

However, the Ministry of Justice points out that the decision has been opposed by the Muslim community. The Ministry of Justice is of the view that it is appropriate to implement the law in the Kathi courts as the submission of polygamy laws of the Muslim community to the District Courts is another reason for the legal delay.

The Ministry of Justice has decided that only issues that cannot be resolved should be referred to the District Court.