Lok Sabha passes Bill to ban instant triple talaq
STEAMROLLS OPPOSITION Sails through Lok Sabha via voice vote, rejecting several proposed amendments; Rajya Sabha vote to hinge on opposition support
The Lok Sabha on Thursday passed a bill that makes instant triple talaq illegal and void, with a provision to award a three-year jail term to the husband if he invoked the flawed divorce method.
The Supreme Court had in August struck down the Islamic practice of saying talaq thrice to instantly divorce with wife, calling it unconstitutional.
The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill seeks to “ensure the larger Constitutional goals of gender justice and gender equality of married Muslim women and help subserve their fundamental rights of non-discrimination and empowerment.
After disposing of amendments proposed by, among others, Asaduddin Owaisi of AIMIM who said the Bill demonises the Muslim community, the House voted on the bill, which was passed by voice vote.
The bill will now be sent to the Rajya Sabha for passage before it is forwarded to the President for signing it into law.
It may sail through the Rajya Sabha, where the government lacks majority, if the Congress delivers on its stated support to the legislation.
“It is a historic day,” law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad had said, introducing the bill. Stressing that the bill not be linked to religion but be seen in the light of gender equality, the minister said Parliament has to decide whether or not victims of triple talaq have fundamental rights.
The minister informed the House that at least 300 cases of triple talaq have been reported in 2017. Of these, 100 came even after the Supreme Court judgment. He pointed out that many Islamic nations have already banned triple talaq, and wondered why a democracy such as India could not.
The introduction of the bill was opposed by MPs such as Jai Prakash Narayan Yadav (RJD), Asaduddin Owaisi (AIMIM), Bratuhari Mahtab (BJD) and ET Mohammed Basheer (IUML).
Some MPs questioned the rationale behind making triple talaq a criminal offence when the Supreme Court had already struck it down.
Owaisi argued that the bill violates fundamental rights and lacks legal coherence.
The Congress extended support when the bill was taken up for discussion, but demanded that it be sent to the standing committee as the current draft had several flaws.
“Everybody wants to support women empowerment but there are some lacunae, which can be settled sitting together,” said Mallikarjun Kharge, leader of Congress in Lok Sabha
NEW DELHI: