The Lok Sabha on Thursday, 28 December, passed the contentious bill making instant triple illegal with up to three years in jail for the husband, a development hailed by the government as "historic".
Many Muslim women across the country hailed the bill as a move that will provide relief to Muslim women who live in fear of getting a talaq from their husbands.
The bill was passed after the House rejected a string of amendments moved by various opposition members.
The bill, prepared by an inter-ministerial group and headed by Home Minister Rajnath Singh, makes instant triple talaq or talaq-e-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 of three years for the husband.
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.
The Congress has always believed that the issue of instant triple talaq ‘Talaq-e-biddat’ is about gender justice and gender equity. The Congress will support any and every law abolishing instant triple talaq. The present bill needs to be strengthened to safeguard the rights of women to a life of dignity with adequate subsistence allowance. Parliament must ensure protection of rights of Muslim women and children under all circumstances.Randeep Surjewala, Spokesperson, Congress
MPs from the RJD, the AIMIM, the BJD, the AIADMK and the All India Muslim League opposed the bill, calling it arbitrary in nature and a faulty proposal.
The bill will now be sent to the Rajya Sabha for passage before it is forwarded to the President for signing it into law.
Criminal law is kept out of family as far as possible, which is a general policy everywhere. Why are we bringing criminal law into something which is a non-existing factor? Triple talaq is no institution or institutional fact of life, the Supreme Court has made it very clear.Salman Khurshid, Leader, Congress
The bill is likely to sail through the Rajya Sabha, where the government lacks majority, given the Congress' stated support to the legislation.
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