SC Seeks Centre’s Response on Muslim Woman’s Plea for Indian Succession Act Over Sharia Law The Case at a Glance The Supreme Court of India has directed the Central Government to respond to a petition filed by a Kerala-based Muslim woman, Safiya PM , who seeks to be governed by the Indian Succession Act, 1925 , instead of Muslim Personal Law (Sharia Law) regarding inheritance. A bench led by Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna , along with Justices Sanjay Kumar and KV Viswanathan , has given the government four weeks to file its response, with the hearing scheduled for May 2025 . Why Is the Woman Challenging Sharia Law? The petitioner, a non-believer Muslim , argues that since she does not practice Islam, she should be governed by secular inheritance laws rather than religious laws. ✔️ Sharia Law Restriction – Under Sharia law , a Muslim individual can only bequeath one-third of their property via a will. The remaining two-thirds is distributed according to Islamic inheritance rul...