Days after the All India Muslim Personal Law Board’s (AIMPLB) proposal to open Darul-Qaza or Shariat courts in all districts of the country triggered a huge row, former vice president Hamid Ansari appears to back the move. Speaking to news agency ANI, Ansari on Thursday said social practices should not be confused with the legal system. He added that different communities in India are allowed to practice their own personal laws.

“People are confusing social practices with the legal system. Our law recognises that each community can have its own rules. The personal law in India covers marriage, divorce, adoption, and inheritance. Each community has a right to practice its own personal laws,” Ansari said while responding to a question on Shariat courts.

Last week, the AIMPLB said it plans to set up Shariat courts across the country to resolves issues as per Islamic laws. The highest decision-making body of Muslims will be discussing the issue on July 15 at a meeting in the national capital.

"At present, there are 40 such courts in Uttar Pradesh. We plan to open one such court in all districts of the country. The objective of Darul-Qaza is to resolve matters in light of Shariat laws instead of going to other courts," AIMPLB senior member Zafaryab Zilani had said.

The remarks had triggered a row with Uttar Pradesh Shia Central Waqf Board chief Waseem Rizvi slamming the proposal. Rizvi had questioned AIMPLB’s authority to set u such courts, saying there was no place for such legal recourse in the country.

“There is a Constitution in India; judges are appointed on the basis of that. There is no place for Shariat courts in India. Who is Muslim Personal Law Board to set up parallel courts? This is sedition,” Rizvi had said.

Political parties including the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Congress had also slammed the proposal. BJP MP and spokesperson Meenakshi Lekhi had said there was “no place for a Shariat court, be it (in a) district or village or city”. She had added that this was not the “Islamic Republic of India”.

Congress leader Rajeev Shukla had called Shariat courts as entities that are “completely against the Indian Constitution”.