On November 27, 2025, the Kerala High Court in Ernakulam made a decision involving Safia P.M. and the State of Kerala. The case was about whether the time limit set by law for making claims applies to requests made under the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Divorce) Act, 1986.
Who is Involved?
The person who brought the case, Safia P.M., is from Alappuzha District, and the person she filed against is T.A. Siraj from Ernakulam District. The case was heard by Dr. Justice A.K. Jayasankaran Nambiar and Mr. Justice Jobin Sebastian.
What's the Issue?
Safia P.M. asked for financial support under the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Divorce) Act, 1986. Her marriage ended in 2004, and she asked for support nine years later. The main question was whether she was too late to make the request.
Magistrate Court Decision
The court in Cherthala rejected Safia P.M.'s request, saying she was too late according to the law. The court also mentioned that Safia P.M. had signed a paper giving up her rights when she got divorced.
Sessions Court Decision
Safia P.M. appealed to a higher court in Alappuzha, which agreed with the first court's decision. The court found that she had given up her rights and didn't show that T.A. Siraj could pay her.
Legal Question
The High Court looked into whether the time limit law applies to requests under the 1986 Act. The court noted that this issue didn't directly affect Safia P.M.'s case because the higher court had already decided she was on time with her request.
Judges' Observations
The judges pointed out that cases under the 1986 Act are about civil matters, not criminal ones, even though they are handled by a lower court. They agreed with an earlier decision in a similar case, confirming that the time limit law does apply.
The High Court confirmed that the time limit law applies to the 1986 Act. The case was sent back to a Single Judge to decide if T.A. Siraj could afford to pay the amount Safia P.M. was asking for.
This decision makes it clear how similar cases will be handled in Kerala, affecting how financial support requests are managed under the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Divorce) Act.
