In a rare move, the United Nations on Monday urged the European Union to stop transferring asylum-seekers to Hungary, criticising the country's new policy of holding men, women and children in containers.

The UN High Commissioner for Refugees called on the EU to temporarily halt the transfer of asylum seekers under a complex EU rule known as the Dublin Regulation. This requires a migrant to apply for asylum in the first country of the bloc that they enter, and to be returned there if necessary.

"The situation for asylum-seekers in Hungary, which was already of deep concern to UNHCR, has only got worse since the new law introducing mandatory detention for asylum-seekers came into effect," said UNHCR chief Filippo Grandi.

Police on Monday seized demonetised notes with a face value of Rs.1 crore and detained three persons for allegedly trying to exchange them with new bills.

Acting on a tip-off, Crime Branch sleuths detained three persons in Kishanpara chowk area with a handbag containing scrapped currency notes in Rs.1,000 and Rs.500 denominations with a face value of Rs.1 crore, said police sub-inspector Atul Sonara.

"The trio had come to the city from Bhavnagar and their movement was suspicious. When we searched their handbag we found 7,900 pieces of Rs.1,000 notes and 4,200 pieces of (old) Rs.500 notes in it. They were detained for further questioning," Sonara said.

"The three told us they were looking to exchange these demonetised notes with new notes for a 30 per cent commission. We have informed the I-T department," he added.

The detained persons were identified as Asfaq Sheikh, Mustafa Saiyad and Mohammad Zahid, he added.

The Election Commission on Monday deferred the election in the Anantnag parliamentary constituency till May 25.

Election authorities concerned decided that the poll scheduled for April 12 in the Anantnag Parliamentary Constituency may be deferred from time being, it said in a notice.

"The commission expects the law and order situation in the constituency to improve and become conducive to the holiding of free and fair election," it said.

The next date for poll is May 25.

On Monday, the Jammu and Kashmir government in its report to the EC had said that the law and order situation in Anantnag is not conducive to the holding of free and fair poll while the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) asked the Election Commission to postpone the Anantnag election.

PDP candidate Tassaduq Mufti, who is the brother of Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, said the situation in the valley was not right for election.

The Anantnag seat fell vacant when Mehbooba Mufti resigned from the seat after becoming chief minister of the state on July 4, 2016.

A school building was set ablaze as mobs stoned security personnel on Monday in Anantnag town and adjoining areas, while eight civilians were killed when the security forces opened fire during the voting process in the Srinagar-Budgam parliamentary by-poll on Sunday.

The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) on Monday passed a resolution to fight 2019 Lok Sabha elections under leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, sources said.

"NDA leaders decided to work together to succeed in 2019 Lok Sabha elections under Narendra Modi's leadership," said a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader, who attended the meeting at the Pravasi Bharatiya Kendra at Chanakyapuri in New Delhi's diplomatic enclave.

"Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan made the proposal for fighting Lok Sabha election under Modi and it was accepted unanimously," the BJP leader added.

The NDA meeting was attended by 33 parties but there was no any discussion on the upcoming presidential or vice presidential elections.

Addressing the media, Financial Minister Arun Jaitley said the NDA meeting endorsed the policies of the government specially its "pro-poor policy".

"Despite the bad shape of economy, the government did a good job and headed towards development. There was not a single corruption charge against the government in its last three years' reign," he said.

The minister also said that new allies have joined NDA and this is the symbol of this government's popularity.

Asked if there was any discussion about the presidential elections, the minister categorically denied it, saying "No".

Karnataka Chief Minster Siddaramaiah on Monday unveiled mobile app 'Suraksha' for the safety of women in the city.

Launched by the Bengaluru police, the integrated personal app is aimed at helping women for their safety and security in emergency.

"I am happy to launch this app finally, as I have been telling police to give importance to women's safety," Siddaramaiah told reporters.

The app has an option to register two more numbers of persons the user (wants to inform during an emergency.

"The app, which can be downloaded free on smartphones, will help women in distress to alert police for help, as it is linked to the police control room and patrolling vehicles in the city," said a police official.

The chief minister and Home Minister G Parameshwara also flagged off 51 patrol vehicles of the city police from the state secretariat.

To be manned by three policewomen, the vehicles will be stationed near schools, women's colleges, places of worship, shopping malls, theatres and sensitive areas across the city.

The vehicles are equipped with the Global Positioning System (GPS) and cameras for the staff at the police control room to monitor the video feed.

"We have identified the sensitive locations in the city for parking the patrol vehicles for the safety and security of the people, especially women and children," said city Police Commissioner Praveen Sood at the event.
 

AB de Villiers’ strokeful 89-run knock went in vain as Royal Challengers Bangalore lost a low-scoring game to Kings XI Punjab by eight wickets at the Holkar Stadium in Indore on Monday.

KXIP opener Hashim Amla and captain Glenn Maxwell emerged as match-winners, posting an unbeaten partnership stand of 72 runs to reach the small target, with 33 balls remaining.

Amla scored unbeaten 58 runs off 38 balls, while Maxwell struck 43 runs (not out) at an aggressive strike rate of 195.45.

The South African smashed three sixes and four boundaries in his inspiring knock.

Maxwell’s willow hit three boundaries and four sky-touching sixes, which includes a finishing six to seal KXIP’s second successive victory in the IPL 2017.

For RCB, pacer Tymal Mills took the scalp of Manan Vohra (34) and spinner Yuzvendra Chahal dismissed Axar Patel for nine runs.

The return of RCB’s star campaigner De Villiers was exciting enough in the first innings, but KXIP’s easy eight-wicket win spoiled all the fun for Bengaluru fans.

The 33-year-old legendary batsman scored a remarkable knock of 89 runs (not out) for RCB after early blows.

De Villiers hit nine sixes and three boundaries to lift the spectators off their feet. Last year, the South African had slammed 37 sixes, second highest of the season after Virat Kohli (38 sixes).

At the helm, De Villiers was batting alongside Stuart Binny, who scored causative 18 runs (not out).

Despite having De Villiers in the playing eleven today, RCB appeared under pressure since the beginning.

At top-order, skipper Shane Watson, wicketkeeper-batsman Vishnu Vinod and Kedar Jadhav were dismissed for 1, 7 and 1 run respectively within first five overs.

In the middle-order, Mandeep Singh managed to bat for a long while and contributed 28 runs to the total.

With De Villiers, Mandeep put a 46-run partnership stand for the fourth-wicket.
KXIP pacer Varun Aaron dismissed Mandeep in the 14th over to claim his second wicket.

Sandeep Sharma and Axar Patel joined KXIP bowling attack, taking the scalp of Watson and Vinod respectively.

Farmers from Tamil Nadu on Monday protested outside the Prime Minister’s office in Delhi’s North Block after they were not allowed to meet Narendra Modi to discuss the drought-relief fund. Farmers from the state have been protesting at Jantar Mantar for the past month.

The protesters who were assured of a meeting with the PM on Monday, were suddenly asked to submit a memorandum to the Prime Minister's office.

While they were being escorted out of the PMO by the police in a vehicle, one of them jumped out of the van and took off his clothes on the road. Soon others also joined him in a similar protest. The agitators were later arrested.

The BJP said that they condemned the naked protest and alleged that they were doing it at the behest of the Tamil Nadu government.

Speaking to the Statesman, a protester said, “When you are left with no options, no one listens to you, this is what you resort to. Our naked protest in the reflection of our pathetic state.”

The protestors have been using different methods to draw attention to their demands. They have human skulls to protest, have shaved their moustaches, shaved their heads, held dead animals like rat and snakes in their mouths. The farmers have been demanding a fund of Rs.40,000 crore as drought fund, pension for the farmers who do not work in the fields anymore and waiving all their loans.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his visiting Australian counterpart Malcolm Turnbull took a Metro ride to reach the Swaminarayan Akshardham Temple in east Delhi on Monday afternoon.

The two PMs travelled by a metro train from Mandi House to Akshardham station, a distance of about 6.7 kilometres covered in about 15 minutes.

The two leaders reached the Mandi House station at about 4 pm where an official briefed Turnbull about the expanding Delhi Metro network.

"They travelled with tokens in a normal train with passengers. Australian PM was briefed about Delhi Metro project at Mandi House station," said the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation spokesperson Anuj Dayal.

He added that their trip did not affect metro services.

The movement of commuters was however regulated during their journey. They reached the Akshardham station at around 4.15 pm.

Standing as well as sitting at times, the PMs took selfies during their Metro ride. They also tweeted their comments and pictures about riding Metro train and visiting the Akshardham Temple.

"With @narendramodi on the Delhi Metro Blue Line – 212 kms & 159 stations since 2002," tweeted the Australian PM. 

"On board the Delhi Metro with PM @TurnbullMalcolm. We are heading to the Akshardham Temple," Modi tweeted with a picture showing Turnbull taking their selfie. He called their Metro journey "delightful".

The two leaders were welcomed by the Temple's priests with garlands upon their arrival there. They offered flowers at the Temple and posed for joint pictures there.

"Visited the magnificent Akshardham Temple with PM @TurnbullMalcolm," PM Modi tweeted, posting several pictures of their visit there.

They took a tour of the Temple complex on a golf cart. They also sat on the steps of the Temple for a "quiet chat".

Before taking this trip, the two leaders held comprehensive talks on a wide range of issues. PM Turnbull arrived here on Sunday on a four-day State visit to India.

Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi on Monday slammed the government over the poor turnout in the Srinagar parliamentary by-poll, saying it reflects the "total failure" of the state's ruling BJP-PDP alliance and the Centre's Kashmir policy.

"Decades of hard work to build trust in the democratic process in Kashmir reversed in less than three years by the BJP government," said Gandhi on his official Twitter account.

"The elections in Kashmir reflect the total failure of the BJP-PDP alliance and the government's Kashmir policy," he added.

The Congress party also demanded the resignation of Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti saying the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and People's Democratic Party (PDP) government has failed the "litmus test" by failing to fairly conduct the Lok Sabha by-poll on Sunday.

"The alliance of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and People's Democratic Party (PDP) is against the wishes of the people of the state. We have always called it an unholy alliance. It has been proven now," Congress MP Sushmita Dev told reporters outside Parliament.

At least eight civilians were killed and scores injured in firing by security forces as mobs tried to attack polling stations in Srinagar parliamentary constituency during Sunday's by-poll, which saw just seven percent balloting.

"The BJP-PDP government has failed the litmus test. It has failed to conduct the election in a fair manner and has failed to ensure voter turn out. By not turning up, people have given a 'no confidence' verdict to this government," Dev said.

"This government has spoken of accountability and transparency. We demand that the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir should resign forthwith because it is evident she has lost people's trust," she added.

The Congress leader also added that "if at all the Narendra Modi government has a Kashmir policy", that policy has "miserably failed".

Slamming the BJP for making Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) "bankrupt" and a "den of corruption" in its 10-year-long rule, Swaraj India on Monday said that the party should refrain from contesting the polls as "atonement".

"True atonement for the BJP which made the MCD bankrupt and den of corruption in its 10 years of rule will be only when the party abstains completely from the MCD elections and apologise to people of Delhi, instead of just denying ticket to its sitting councillors," said Swaraj India President Yogendra Yadav.

Conducting a road show for party candidates in North MCD region, he reiterated his party's promise of "Saaf Dil, Saaf Dilli.

Seeking to expose the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) misrule in the MCD, he said that in a bid to hide its misdeeds as a party, the BJP has declared that none of its sitting councillors will be fielded in this election "as if those individuals were responsible for this systemic loot and rot in MCD".

"BJP cannot absolve itself of its sins by simply refusing ticket to its councillors…. If BJP is truly worried about repentance, it should refrain from even contesting these elections," he said.

Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has reiterated his call for India and Pakistan to hold a dialogue on solving the Kashmir issue, his spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said on Monday.

Guterres "would underscore the need for the parties to find a peaceful solution through engagement and dialogue", Dujarric told reporters in reply to questions about the situation in Kashmir.

He denied a Pakistani reporter's suggestion that Guterres was brushing off the Kashmir issue. "I don't think the Secretary General is reluctant," he said. "It is obviously an issue that he is following. If we are able to say more, we will."

Dujarric also refused to comment on Monday's strike in Kashmir following civilian deaths in action by security forces. "I think I would refer you to what we have already said on the situation in Kashmir and I have nothing further to add to it," he said.

The strike was called by separatists a day after widespread clashes disrupted voting for the Srinagar by-election.

The first China-bound freight train carrying British products left London on a 12,000-km journey on Monday, adding another terminal to the rail freight between China and Europe.

The DB Cargo train, loaded with 30 containers carrying products, including whisky, soft drinks, vitamins and baby products, started from east London's DP World Gateway to Yiwu city in central Zhejiang province, east China.

After going through the Channel Tunnel, the train will pass through seven countries — France, Belgium, Germany, Poland, Belarus, Russia, Kazakhstan — before arriving in eastern China on April 27, reported the Daily Mail.

Three months ago the first freight service from China to Britain arrived in Barking, East London. The journey is cheaper than air freight and faster than sea freight, according to the report.

The service is part of China's One Belt, One Road programme of reviving the ancient Silk Road trading routes with the West, initially created more than 2,000 years ago.

DP World Chief Executive Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem said the first freight service from Britain to China is a "significant trade occasion".

He added: "DP World London Gateway, one of the UK's largest logistics hubs, is designed and developed to ensure products can be both imported and exported from Britain via ship or train in a faster, safer and more reliable way than ever before."

"We look forward to enabling and facilitating more trade between Britain, China and the whole world."

International Trade Minister Greg Hands said: "This new rail link with China is another boost for global Britain, following the ancient Silk Road trade route to carry British products around the world."

"It shows the huge global demand for quality UK goods and is a great step for DP World's £1.5 billion London Gateway port as it also welcomes its first regular container ships from Asia," he said.

London is the 15th European city on an expanding map of China's rail freight, the daily reported.

Vijay Kannan, who represented India in the Davis Cup between 2001-2004, will be the top draw among 48 players from all over the country taking part in the inaugural edition of the six-team Bengal Premier Tennis League (BPTL), starting here on April 18.

Kannan, who was roped in by Durgapur Warriors, will be joined by seven other teammates as each of the six franchises will have eight players in their respective squads.

Besides Durgapur, the other teams are Midnapore Waves, Malda Slices, CEAC Bankura Horses, Howrah Hurricanes, and Kolkata Crusaders.

Each team will have six men and two women players. A match-up between two sides will have five games including two men's singles, one women's singles, one men's doubles and mixed doubles.

There will be a total of 15 league matches, one play-off and a final.

While the winners purse will be Rs.3 lakh, the runners-up will be richer by Rs.2.5 lakh.

Stressing that Aadhaar is completely "safe, secure and robust", IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on Monday slammed the opposition for trying to paint it as a "tragedy" to the country.

Replying to a short duration discussion in the Rajya Sabha on Aadhaars' implementation and implications, he sought to allay the opposition's fears that biometric and demographic data collected for Aadhaar could be leaked and misused.

"I want to dispel all misconceptions (about Aadhaar). Aadhaar is robust, safe, secure and totally accountable," Prasad said.

He also said that "the world is appreciating it and something which is giving result needs to be respected".

"Members have raised the issue of privacy. Are we invading privacy under the Aadhaar law? No. A categorical no," Prasad said.

He said the biometric and demographic data collected by the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) to give a unique identification number to a citizen was completely safe and there were enough safeguards against the misuse of this data.

"The policy is 'minimum information, no profiling'. For instance if a bank asks for the information about a potential customer, it would be provided just the limited information for its consumption," he noted, adding that there was robust legal mechanism to check any attempt to pry into the personal details of a person.

"In the last six months we have blacklisted 32,000 operators," he said.

Rebutting opposition's charges point by point, the Minister said that Supreme Court did not put stay on Aadhaar being linked to many things.

"We are the law-making authority. We are accountable to the people of the country," he said, adding that Parliament has come up with a law — the Aadhaar (Targeted Delivery of Financial and Other Subsidies, Benefits and Services) Act, 2016 — in this regard.

"When the law is there, the law will hold the field," he said, clarifying that in case anything goes wrong in relation to Aadhaar, there is a law to deal with it.

Answering Congress' charge that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, when in opposition had opposed the idea of Aadhaar, Prasad said that the BJP was against it as personal information of the people was being collected in absence of any law in relation to it.

He also assured the House that "no poor will be denied benefits" of various subsidies and welfare schemes or work for want of Aadhaar.

Taking part in the discussion, Rajeev Chandrasekhar, an Independent member, said the issue of rampant fake Aadhaar entries was a huge concern, which was a direct consequence of the sloppy way this database was built.

"When there is clear evidence all over of fake Aadhaars, what safeguards has the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) taken before Aadhaar is being permitted to be used as an identification card or tool? This needs answering," said Chandrasekhar pointed out.

The MP said through the entire term of the UPA, Aadhaar numbers were issued with almost non-existent form of verification.

"This involved numerous small companies becoming enrollment agencies that were paid for each enrolment and who would collect the biometrics and collect documents without any responsibility of authencity.

"There are hundreds and thousands of reports of enrollment agencies that took bribes to issue aadhaar cards. You only have to google to see the extensive reports of fake Aadhaars and data breaches," he said

It is going to be real tough time for all those coaches and sports officers who have failed to deliver results.

Chetan Chauhan, Youth affairs and Sports Minister of the UP government had made it clear that such coaches and officers are not required who are not training the sportsmen standing there at the ground.

In a program here, the sports minister warned those coaches and officers of the sports department who are not working properly and said that they should either improve or be ready to face action. There are coaches who have no knowledge about the modern techniques and hence they are failing to give results, he said.

“Sports is austerity, practice, religion and god. In the ground, the sportsman sees nothing but his goal. I have spent 11 years of my life playing at international level and yet if some sportsmen face partiality than I would not like it,” said Chauhan, former opening batsman and now the sports minister of UP. 

"I am aware that there is a great talent in the sportsmen of the city but there are some coaches whose attitude is not correct and they keep sitting in the offices during the training sessions, he quipped.

“Now the time has some when the coaches will have to be on the ground to train the sportsmen,” he cleared saying that salary would not be given for resting. 

They should improve or else they would not be spared.

Continuing his speech, Chauhan told that every sport will have a trainer and all coaches would be given targets. Old coaches would be trained on new techniques. “ If there would be no medals in Olympic, Asian and Commonwealth games in four years that they would show the way out. 

Besides to promote sports centers would be opened up in city and rural areas and youths would be associated. The minister said that he would also consult sports businessman and gold medalist sportsmen and discuss with them the strategy for next 2-3 years.

Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama on Monday delivered his last sermon to thronging devotees here and thanked the Arunachal Pradesh government, especially Chief Minister Pema Khandu, for the invitation and facilitating his visit, which has drawn much flak from China.

Addressing devotees in chaste Tibetan at the Yid GaChosin monastery, the Dalai Lama said his visit to the northeastern state has been a "memorable one" and that he would cherish it forever.

He also thanked the people, particularly from far off villages, who gathered in large numbers to welcome and listen to him at all the places that he visited.

Giving a talk on the last day of his four-day visit to Tawang, the Tibetan spiritual leader also said secular ethics is the only way to bring lasting peace and happiness in the world.

"Peace in post World War II is built on fear. But genuine peace can come only through inner peace," he said, at another event. The Dalai Lama gave a talk on 'Secular Ethics and Happiness' and stressed that inner peace can come through training of the mind.

Delivering an address to an audience assembled at Kalawangpo Hall, the Nobel Peace laureate reiterated that secular ethics must be achieved through education and not just through prayers or faith.

State Chief Minister Pema Khandu was also present at the event.

Replying to a query on what would be the state of secular ethics when presently the world is witnessing clash of beliefs, the Dalai Lama said: "Neither can destroy each other's beliefs. So the best way is to make peace and live together."

"A terrorist killing in the name of religion can never be true to his faith. However, efforts must be made to reach out to them as they are not born terrorist but circumstances made them so," he said.

Emphasising on education as the key to bring in human understanding and values, the Dalai Lama lamented that western nations are not helping in bringing true values of education, due to which everyone is after material pursuit leading to untold human sufferings.

Responding to a question on Buddhist belief on Karma, the Dalai Lama urged the audience to follow Buddhist teachings only after having convinced themselves through investigation and experiments. He said followers of Buddhist philosophy have the liberty to reject it if they find it unsatisfactory.

On Karma, the Dalai Lama said, "It's our action that brings comfort and discomfort.

Asked whether religious rituals have become more important than wisdom or philosophy, the spiritual leader declared that rituals are not important. However, he emphasised on use of intelligence to transform emotions and not through rituals.

Earlier, the Dalai Lam released a book titled – 'Ocean and Blue Mountains' published by department of Karmik and Adhyatmik Affairs (DoKAA) in presence of Chief Minister Pema Khandu and other dignitaries.

The book title refers to 'Ocean' as His Holiness and 'Blue Mountains' as the people of Arunachal Pradesh, and is a collection of memoirs of the special bond shared between the two. The Dalai Lama also released a book titled – 'Crossing of the Frontiers' describing his exile route from Tibet to India, published by Losel Nyinje Charitable Society and Monyul Social Welfare Association.

A book on Monyul was also released by him.

In the morning, the Dalai Lama gave his last sermon to devotees at the Yid GaChosin monastery ground on Rinzin Dhondup initiation followed by a long life offering ceremony.

He also blessed and distributed one lakh saplings to be planted in and around Tawang.

On his way to the Kalawangpo Hall, the Dalai Lama consecrated the statue of Lord Buddha at the heart of Tawang township.

On Sunday, the Dalai Lama consecrated the Tara Temple 'Dolma Lhagang', Guru Padhmasambhava Statue cum Temple (Lumpo), and laid the foundation stone of Gyalwa Jamba (Kuber) statue to be built at Buri near the Indo-Bhutan border. He gave the name Jamtseling for the Jamba (Kuber) statue besides donating Rs 50,000 from his side for its construction.

The Dalai Lama was supposed to perform the rituals after landing at Lumla on April 4, which couldn't materialise due to rescheduling of his programme.

China had fiercely objected to the visit of the Dalai Lama to Arunachal Pradesh, which it considers as "disputed" and part of south Tibet

Triple talaq, 'nikah halala' and polygamy violate Muslim women's right to equality and dignity and are not protected by the right to profess, practise and propagate religion under Article 25(1) of the Constitution, the Centre told the Supreme Court on Monday.

Describing triple talaq, 'nikah halala' and polygamy as "patriarchal values and traditional notions about the role of women in society", the Centre said these were "an impediment to the goal of achieving social democracy" and contrary to the country's obligations under international treaties and covenants.

Under the triple talaq, a Muslim man can instantly divorce his wife by repeating 'talaq' thrice. As per 'nikah halala', a woman divorcee, has to marry someone else and consummate this marriage before getting a divorce to remarry her earlier husband.

"The conferment of a social status based on patriarchal values or one that is at the mercy of menfolk is incompatible with the letter and spirit of Articles 14 and 15," the Centre said.

"The right of a woman to human dignity, social esteem and self-worth are vital facets of her Right to Life under Article 21," the Centre has said.

The Centre's stand was enunciated in a written submission filed ahead of hearing of the matter by a Constitution Bench commencing May 11. The submissions drawn by advocate Madhvi Divan have been settled by Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi.

"The fundamental question (is)… whether, in a secular democracy, religion can be a reason to deny equal status and dignity, available to women under the Constitution."

The Centre said the pivotal issue that needed to be addressed was whether under a secular Constitution women — merely because of their religious identity — could be relegated to a status significantly more vulnerable than their counterparts who profess any other faith, namely Hindus, Christians, Zoroastrians, Buddhists, Sikhs, Jains, etc.

Pointing out that gender justice was a constitutional goal of overwhelming importance and magnitude, the Union government said the Fundamental Right to Equality takes within its fold, equality of status and the gender equality, gender equity and gender justice are values intrinsically entwined in guarantee of equality under Article 14.

The practices of triple talaq, 'nikah halala' and polygamy impact the social status and dignity of Muslim women and render them unequal and vulnerable qua men belonging to their own community; women belonging to other communities and also Muslim women outside India, it added.

Referring to reforms by several Islamic countries, including those have overwhelming Muslim population, the Centre said Pakistan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Morocco, Tunisia, Turkey, Indonesia, Egypt and Iran have undertaken significant reforms and the practices of instant triple talaq or automatic polygamy at will is not permitted in most of these countries.

The government said the paradox is that Muslim women in India are more vulnerable in their social status because of the prevalence of such practices, even though they live in a secular country and that their position is weaker than women who live in theocratic societies or countries where Islam is the state religion.

"Patriarchal values and traditional notions about the role of women in society are an impediment to the goal of achieving social democracy and they are likely to hold back the community at large, resulting in lopsided development and pockets of social backwardness …"

Describing triple talaq, 'nikah halala' and polygamy as repugnant to the guarantee of secularism — an essential feature of the Indian Constitution — the Centre said that lopsided development and pockets of social backwardness is not in the larger interest of the integrity and development of the nation.