A punishable offence it is! Cabinet approves ordinance on Triple Talaq
The Minister said, Government tried to take the opposition along but the Congress did not come forward. The ordinance will have similar provisions as the Muslim Women Protection of Rights in Marriage Act. In the Rajya Sabha, the opposition had demanded that it be sent to Select Committee for more scrutiny.
The Bill christened as Muslim Women (Protection of Rights of Marriage) Bill, 2017 makes instant triple talaq illegal and void and provides for a three-year jail term for the husbands. Several opposition parties protested at the time of introduction of the bill.
The bill prepared by the inter-ministerial group headed by Home Minister Rajnath Singh makes instant triple talaq or talaqe-biddat in any form - spoken, in writing, or by electronic means such as email, SMS and Whatsapp-- illegal and void and provides for a jail term for the husband.
The Supreme Court in August last year had ruled that the practice of talaq-e-biddat or instant triple talaq practiced by certain Muslim husbands to divorce their wives as void, illegal and unconstitutional and advised the government to bring a suitable legislation to make it a punishable offence.
Law Minister Ravishankar Prasad said that this was a historic day. However, before he introduced the bill a number of opposition parties opposed it saying that it was arbitrary in nature and faulty.
Members from RJD, AIMIM, BJD, IUML and AIADMK spoke against the bill and the punitive measures included therein. The Congress and the Left members were not allowed to speak as they had not given notice earlier. The TMC which opposed the draft bill was silent.
Most vocal opposition came for AIMIM's Asaduddin Owaisi who moved several amendments all of which were negated by majority vote. The Congress member Mallikarjun Kharge wanted the bill to be sent to the Standing Committee to remove certain lacunae but the Minster rejected his proposal.