Remedying Personal Law Systems

Abstract

One-third of the world's population lives under personal law systems. These systems regulate family matters by applying different 'personal laws' - ostensibly based on religious doctrine - to people depending on the religious group with which they are identified. Personal law systems generally raise serious concerns relating to religious freedom, non-discrimination, familial rights and procedural rights. Despite these concerns, complex political considerations keep personal law systems in place, and thwart efforts to reform them. This article proposes a way out of the stalemate that has dogged efforts to reform the personal law system in India, the country with the largest number of people l..