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New Delhi: Following is the chronology of events in which a five-judge constitution bench of the Supreme Court on Thursday commenced hearing on a batch of pleas challenging the constitutional validity of 'triple talaq' and 'nikah halala'. Here is a timeline of the events.

16 October 2015: SC bench asks CJI to set up an appropriate bench to examine if Muslim women face gender discrimination in cases of divorce while dealing with a case of Hindu succession.

5 February 2016: SC asks Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi to assist it on the pleas challenging constitutional validity of 'triple talaq', 'nikah halala' and polygamy.

28 March 2016: SC asks Centre to file a copy of the report of a high-level panel on 'Women and the law: An assessment of family laws with focus on laws relating to marriage, divorce, custody, inheritance and succession'. SC also impleads various organisations, including the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB), as parties in the suo motu matter.

29 June: SC says 'triple talaq' among the Muslims will be tested on "touchstone of constitutional framework". Oct 7: For the first time in India's constitutional history, Centre opposes in SC these practices and favours a relook on grounds like gender equality and secularism.

7 October: For the first time in India's constitutional history, Centre opposes in SC these practices and favours a relook on grounds like gender equality and secularism.

14 February 2017: SC allows various interlocutory pleas to be tagged along with the main matter.

16 February: SC says a five-judge constitution bench would be set up to hear and decide the challenge on 'triple talaq', 'nikah halala' and polygamy.

27 March: AIMPLB tells SC that these pleas were not maintainable as the issues fall outside judiciary's realm.

30 March: SC says these issues are "very important" and involve "sentiments" and says a constitution bench would start hearing from 11 May.