Hyderabad, January 14: The fee charged by a qazi for performing nikah has been increased to Rs 1,100 from Rs 325 with an increase of 338 percent. The entire fee of Rs 325 was earlier paid by the bride’s parents or guardians. But now it has been split between the two parties. Parents of the bride have to pay Rs 500 and the remaining Rs 600 has to be picked up by the groom’s side.
These decisions were taken on Wednesday at a meeting convened by Anjuman-e-Qazat, AP; Qazat Welfare Association, AP and Rayalaseema Qazi Welfare Association.
The need for the meetings of qazis arose following a high court judgment in October last year. The judgment said since performance of marriage is a religious ritual the government has no role to play in fixing the fee. It permitted the qazis to work out their own fee structure.
But the question arises when neither state government nor any other board such as Waqf board has the right to fix the fees then whey the state government appoints Qazis for Nikah affair while the Waqf board issued booklets and certificates of marriage and divorce? Qazis are already charging exorbitant fee from both the bride and the groom.
Why the Muslims should be on the mercy of those Qazi’s and Naib Qazi’s for Nikah affairs? Can’t any Muslim recite Nikah Qutba and perform Nikah in the presence of two witnesses as per Islamic Sharia?
Siasat news