India, Jan. 29 -- The Supreme Court on Tuesday observed that if Muslim women, after renouncing their faith, are allowed to be governed by the Indian Succession Act instead of Muslim Personal Law, the same right must logically extend to non-believers and apostates born in other faiths. Highlighting the broad ramifications of such a legal shift -- it could decide how religious law applies to those who have renounced the faith they were born into -- the court directed the Union government to clarify its position on the matter within four weeks.

"This will run across the religions...You will have to file a counter and take a stand. If we pass an order, there must be several forms, etc, that would have to be altered. If we apply this to one f...