Jakarta – Aceh province will inaugurate its first Islamic sharia court on March 4 as part of the broad autonomy granted to curb separatist sentiment, AFP reported.

"We will begin to implement the Islamic sharia integrally but in a gradual way, not all at once. On the first of Muharram, God Willing, the sharia court will be inaugurated by the Supreme Judge and several related ministers," Aceh Governor Abdullah Puteh said on Tuesday.

The first of Muharram, a month in the Islamic lunar year, falls this year on March 4.

The province will be the only one to implement sharia law. Indonesia is the world's largest Muslim-populated nation but Islam is not the state religion.

A judge at the Supreme Court, Syamsu Hadi, said that the sharia court will mostly rely on the existing state religious court network in Aceh.

There are currently 19 state religious courts in districts and municipalities across Aceh and one appeal court. A total of 121 judges serve onthe courts, which do not enforce sharia law in criminal matters.

The central government in 2001 gave Aceh broad autonomy which allows it to implement partial sharia law and have its own sharia police and education system.