After intense debate and rejecting all amendments, Lok Sabha passes historical ‘Triple Talaq Bill’

NewsBharati    28-Dec-2017
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New Delhi, December 28: The much-talked Muslim Women (Protection of Marriage) Bill, 2017 has been passed in the Lok Sabha on Thursday. All amendments to the bill have been rejected. the Bill will now go to the Rajya Sabha for their approval.

The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill would only be applicable on instant triple talaq or ‘talaq-e- biddat’. It gives power to the victim to approach a magistrate seeking “subsistence allowance” for herself and minor children. A victim can also seek the custody of her minor children from the magistrate.

Government, which has earlier in the day sought consensus from all the parties on the issue, hailed the passage of bill, terming it historic.

MPs from the RJD, AIMIM, BJD, AIADMK and All India Muslim League opposed the bill, calling it arbitrary in nature and a faulty proposal.

Two amendments moved by Asaduddin Owaisi and one by BJD’s Bhartruhari Mahtab negated in Lok Sabha. Amendments moved by Congress’s Sushmita Dev and CPIM’s A Sampath also negated.

Earlier, speaking in the Lok sabha Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said “we are not looking at this from the lens of politics but from the lens of humanity. The jail term is upto three years and quantum of punishment will be decided by the magistrate and we have left it for the court to decide and its conscience.”

“It is being said that we are breaking families, but when women were being abandoned, this argument found no place. Under Section 304B, if you try to burn a bride, then you will be imprisoned.”

“This law has not been passed for any political mileage. People are questioning that why is this law a criminal law. To that, I will say I have not studied law from London but from Patna Law College,” Prasad added.

Speaking on behalf of the government, MoS MJ Akbar called into question the credibility of All India Muslim Personal Law Board for opposing the move. He asked 'who made them community representatives?'

The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill would only be applicable on instant triple talaq or 'talaq-e-biddat'. It gives power to the victim to approach a magistrate seeking "subsistence allowance" for herself and minor children. A victim can also seek the custody of her minor children from the magistrate.
 
Under the law, instant triple talaq in any form spoken, in writing or by electronic means such as email, SMS and WhatsApp would be illegal and void.

The bill is likely to sail through the Rajya Sabha, where the government lacks majority, given the Congress’s stated support to the legislation.

Triple Talaq Triple Talaq Bill Lok Sabha Ravi Shankar Prasad Law Minister AIMIM Asaduddin Owaisi Mallikarjun Kharge Congress BJP