Chapter I PRELIMINARY

1. (1) This Act may be called the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Act, 2019.
2. (2) It shall extend to the whole of India except the State of Jammu and Kashmir*.
3. (3) It shall be deemed to have come into force on the 19th day of September, 2018.

In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,--

1. (a) "electronic form" shall have the same meaning as assigned to it in clause (r) of sub-section (1) of section 2 of the Information Technology Act, 2000 (21 of 2000);
2. (b) "Magistrate" means a Judicial Magistrate of the first class exercising jurisdiction under the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (2 of 1974), in the area where the married Muslim woman resides; and
3. (c) "talaq" means talaq-e-biddat or any other similar form of talaq having the effect of instantaneous and irrevocable divorce pronounced by a Muslim husband.