The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Divorce) Act was a landmark legislation passed by the parliament of India in 1986 to protect the rights of Muslim women who have been divorced by, or have obtained divorce from, their husbands and to provide for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto. [1].The Act was passed by the Rajiv Gandhi government to nullify the decision in Shah Bano case.
The law applies to the whole of India except Jammu and Kashmir. It is administered by any magistrate of the first class exercising jurisdiction under the Code of Criminal Procedure 1973.