Triple Talaq: The cabinet today approved an executive order or ordinance making triple talaq an offence

The cabinet today approved a Triple Talaq ordinance making it an offence after an amended draft bill failed to clear Rajya Sabha in the last session of parliament amid disagreement within parties.

The triple talaq law, officially called Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill 2017, dilutes three contentious provisions.

The first change allows only a woman, or a close relative, to file a police case against her husband for instant triple talaq, the Islamic practice that allows men to divorce their wives immediately by uttering the word "talaq" (divorce) thrice.

The second amendment allows her to drop the case if the husband comes around later and they arrive at a compromise.

Here are the LIVE Updates over the Triple Talaq executive order:

Sep 19, 2018 16:18 (IST) Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad saying there was a "compelling necessity" to bring the measure as instances of 'talaq-e-biddat' continued unabated despite the Supreme Court striking it down.

Sep 19, 2018 15:39 (IST) Triple talaq ordinance a welcome step, I am very happy that Centre has taken such a decision: Ishrat Jahan, petitioner in case.

Sep 19, 2018 14:27 (IST)

Pm rings the knell of social justice for our Muslim sisters -the real minority within the minority who have suffered silently for years! a small step for woman-kind giant leap for humanity! Cannot thanks our Govt enough! @BJP4India@friendsofrss@BJP4UP@PMOIndia - shazia ilmi (@shaziailmi) September 19, 2018

Sep 19, 2018 14:05 (IST) Triple Talaq ordinance against Muslim women, says Asaduddin Owaisi



"This ordinance is against the Muslim women. This ordinance will not provide justice to the Muslim women. In Islam, marriage is a civil contract and bringing penal provisions in it is wrong," says Asaduddin Owaisi.



Sep 19, 2018 13:51 (IST) "Modi government not making this an issue for justice for Muslim women, but making this into a political issue," says Congress leader Randeep Surjewala.

Sep 19, 2018 13:23 (IST) The Supreme Court outlawed the practice last year, but Modi's government wants to make it a non-bailable offence carrying a jail term of up to three years, following protests by Muslim women, according to news agency Reuters.



Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad told a news conference the cabinet approved the decree because the practice persisted despite the court decision.



In August last year, the Supreme Court ruled unconstitutional a law that allowed Muslim men to divorce their wives simply by uttering the word "talaq", or "divorce" in Arabic, three times, said the Reuters report.

Sep 19, 2018 13:18 (IST) Triple Talaq: "There was a compelling necessity to come with an ordinance on Triple Talaq," says Ravi Shankar Prasad



"There was a compelling necessity to come with an ordinance on #TripleTalaq": Union Minister @rsprasad



Watch LIVE now on https://t.co/hMlRpgrUU6pic.twitter.com/A3PZs4GFEd - NDTV (@ndtv) September 19, 2018

Sep 19, 2018 13:16 (IST)

"We would appreciate their (Congress') support on the floor of the house, not in front of television channels": Union Minister @rsprasad on the issue of #TripleTalaq



Watch LIVE now on https://t.co/hMlRpgrUU6pic.twitter.com/rnNQwhmqxs - NDTV (@ndtv) September 19, 2018

Sep 19, 2018 13:10 (IST) Triple Talaq: "We would appreciate Congress' support on floor of the house, not before TV," says Ravi Shankar Prasad



"I appeal to Sonia Gandhi, Mayawati and Mamata Banerjee to support the bill," says Ravi Shankar Prasad.



"We want the congress to say it on the floor of the house, not on TV," he said, adding that the bill was not watered down.



Sep 19, 2018 13:05 (IST) "The core component of this Ordinance is that an offence will be cognizable only when the FIR is filed by the victim wife or her close relations by blood or marriage," says Ravi Shankar Prasad.

Sep 19, 2018 13:04 (IST) Triple Talaq will be recognised as a crime only when a woman or her blood relative files a complaint with the police, says Ravi Shankar Prasad.

Sep 19, 2018 13:03 (IST) Triple Talaq Ordinance: "We tried to reach out to Congress": Ravi Shankar Prasad tweets



Between January 2017 to September 2018, 430 cases of Triple Talaq have been reported, Ravi Shankar Prasad tweeted, adding that 229 cases were reported prior to Supreme Court judgement and 201 cases reported after the judgement.

He said it was "shocking" that a "woman leader like Sonia Gandhi did not cooperate with government" to get rid of the "barbaric" process of Triple Talaq.



Between January 2017 to September 2018, 430 cases of #TripleTalaq have been reported. 229 cases were reported prior to Supreme Court judgement and 201 cases reported after the judgement: @rsprasad - RSPrasad Office (@OfficeOfRSP) September 19, 2018 We tried to reach out to Congress Party five-six times to develop consensus for passage of #TripleTalaq but they did not cooperate on this sensitive matter of women empowerment: @rsprasad - RSPrasad Office (@OfficeOfRSP) September 19, 2018 It is shocking that even a woman leader like Sonia Gandhi did not cooperate with Govt to get Muslim rid of barbaric practice of #TripleTalaq due to vote bank compulsions: @rsprasad - RSPrasad Office (@OfficeOfRSP) September 19, 2018

Sep 19, 2018 12:56 (IST) Triple Talaq: Ravi Shankar Prasad says Congress came under vote bank pressure



Ravi Shankar Prasad alleged that the Congress had come under pressure of "vote bank" and had hence not supported the Triple Talaq bill.

He said there have been a series of papers citing many instances of Triple Talaq.

He also said there was an overpowering urgency for the ordinance, adding that 22 Muslim countries have regulated Triple Talaq.

वोट बैंक की राजनीति के दबाव में कांग्रेस पार्टी ने #TripleTalaq बिल को अपना समर्थन नहीं दिया : श्री @rsprasad - BJP (@BJP4India) September 19, 2018

Sep 19, 2018 12:49 (IST) Triple Talaq: Ravi Shankar Prasad is speaking on the Triple Talaq ordinance





Sep 19, 2018 12:49 (IST) Hardeep Singh Puri tweets on Triple Talaq Bill



Minister of state for Housing and Urban Affairs has tweeted on the Triple Talaq bill. In a series of tweets, he said that the efforts to pass the Triple Talaq bull were "thwarted by those who would rather let our Muslim sisters live as unequal partners."

He also said that he was "delighted" the Cabinet gave its approval to the "historic" Triple Talaq ordinance. Efforts to pass the Triple Talaq Bill were thwarted by those who would rather let our muslim sisters live as unequal partners. I am delighted that the Cabinet has given its approval to the historic Triple Talaq Ordinance.



Heartiest congratulations to muslim sisters. (1/2) pic.twitter.com/PxCJxsCGo8 - Hardeep Singh Puri (@HardeepSPuri) September 19, 2018

This ordinance will strengthen the hands of our muslim sisters & offer them a life of equal rights & dignity in marriage; & above all, will make them equal partners in our nation's progress without fear or insecurity. (2/2) pic.twitter.com/2jkVRNcPfx - Hardeep Singh Puri (@HardeepSPuri) September 19, 2018

Sep 19, 2018 12:45 (IST)

Triple talaq or instant divorce to be an offence, cabinet clears executive order pic.twitter.com/9PhKwKWYDy - NDTV (@ndtv) September 19, 2018