New Bill to give Mizo woman right to property in divorce cases

AIZAWL: The Mizoram Assembly today unanimously passed the Mizo Marriage, Divorce and Inheritance of Property Bill-2014 which gave right to the share of family property to the wife in the strictly patriarchal society.

Introducing the Bill in the Assembly, state law minister Lalsawta said the state government and experts found it extremely difficult to codify the Mizo Customary Law and how the courts would try cases on divorce and inheritance of property.

According to the Mizo Customary Law, a wife does not have any right over the property in case of divorce, whatever might be the cause of separation or divorce and the husband can divorce his wife just by saying "Ka ma che" or "I divorce you".

The new legislation provided that divorce could only be granted by the court and women could now have share in the family property.

The new legislation provided that if a man divorces his wife on ground of adultery or deprivation of his conjugal rights, she would have a share over the acquired property not exceeding 25 per cent along with her personal property brought in at the wedding.

Women's groups like the Mizo Hmeichhe Insuihkhawm Pawl (MHIP) or the Mizo Women Federation hailed the new law and Vanlalhlimpuii Chawngthu, the lone woman legislator in the 40-member state Assembly, thanked Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla and law minister Lalsawta for initiating the law emancipating the Mizo women.