Divorced Mizo women now entitled to inherit property

Aizawal, Dec 1: Divorced Mizo women are now entitled to inherit property and protected from being divorced at the will of their husbands under the newly enacted Mizo Marriage, Divorce and Inheritance of Property Act, 2014.

The Act which disbands the customary law of the strictly patriarchal Mizo society, allows divorced women to inherit property and also protects them from being divorced by their husbands at their will.

The Act was enacted in the Assembly session which ended on November 26. The Lushai Hills District (Village Council) (Amendment) Bill, 2014 was also passed in the Assembly providing reservation for women in the elections to the village councils.

President of the All Mizoram Women Federation (AMWF), Jane R Ralte, today thanked the state government for enacting the laws and said it would reform the society by reducing divorce rates and reducing the number of orphans in the state.

"We have sent letters to Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla, Law Minister Lalsawta and Local Administration Minister P C Lalthanliana thanking them for the enacting the two laws," Ralte said.

PTI