Friday, August 19 2005 15:14 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Lucknow: The raging controversy over the petition in the Supreme Court terming Islamic courts as parallel judiciary would figure prominently in the working committee meeting of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) later this month.

The AIMPLB working committee meeting slated for August 28 in New Delhi would discuss the issue in detail and chalk out its strategy to place its viewpoint before the Apex court, senior member of the committee Sajjad Nomani said in Lucknow today (Aug 19, 2005).

Maintaining that the meeting was a routine one, he said issue of 'darul qazas' or Islamic courts, has, however, been mentioned in the agenda circulated among the members.

"Deliberations would be held on the details of the notice," he said.

The Apex court issued notices to the Centre, AIMPLB and Islamic seminary Darul Uloom on the petition.

Defending 'darul qazas', another member of the Board, Zafaryab Jilani, said in a country where judiciary is overburdened and takes years in delivering justice, these courts are in fact a great help in easing out the burden by disposing of the cases in a cost-effective manner.

"Out-of-court settlement has been favoured by the Parliament as well as the Supreme Court for which Lok Adalats are being set up and more powers are being provided to the panchayats," Jilani said adding, 'darul qazas' merely supported the judicial system and were in no way contradictory to the law of the land.

Elaborating, Jilani said, "The decision of the Qazis could be accepted by the parties involved in the dispute or else move the court.the verdict of 'darul qazas' were not binding on individuals."