The bill to criminalise triple talaq was passed by Lok Sabha on Thursday. The politically sensitive bill which seeks to make the practice of instant triple talaq among Muslim men a penal offence was moved by Union law and justice minister Ravi Shankar Prasad for discussion in the Parliament’s winter session on Thursday.

As the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, 2018, was taken up for consideration, Leader of the Congress in the House, Mallikarjun Kharge, had suggested it be taken up for discussion next week.

The fresh Bill to make the practice of triple talaq among Muslims a penal offence was introduced in Lok Sabha on December 17 to replace an ordinance issued in September.

Under the proposed law, giving instant triple talaq will be illegal and void, and will attract a jail term of three years for the husband.

The fresh bill will supersede an earlier bill passed in the Lok Sabha and pending in the Rajya Sabha.

The earlier bill was approved by the Lower House. But amid opposition by some parties in the upper house, the government had then cleared some amendments, including introduction of a provision of bail, to make it more acceptable.

The Lok Sabha had last week on Thursday decided to take up the bill today after the Congress agreed to participate in the debate.

Highlights:

7:08 pm IST Lok Sabha passes triple talaq bill Bill to criminalise triple talaq passed by Lok Sabha.





6:43 pm IST Voting underway in Parliament on triple talaq bill Amid Opposition walk out, voting is underway in Lok Sabha on triple talaq bill





6:36 pm IST Opposition stages walk out The Opposition leaders staged walk out stating, “since our demand to send the bill to a select committee is not being paid heed to, so we are staging a walk out.”





5:56 pm IST This is a violation of culture: AIMIM chief Owaisi “This bill is in violation of our culture. In Islam, marriage is a contract. Talaq is a violation of contract. But, sending the man to jail is wrong. It will affect the women as if their husbands go to jail, who will put food on their plate?” questioned AIMIM’s Asaduddin Owaisi.





5:11 pm IST Triple talaq bill unconstitutional: AIADMK leader AIADMK parliamentarian A. Anwhar Raajhaa on Thursday opposed the triple talaq bill, calling it “unconstitutional”, against “natural justice” and one of the most “barbaric” laws to have ever been introduced against the Muslim community.





5:02 pm IST This is not a law made for us, this is for women who are at the lower end of pyramid: Supriya Sule, NCP “Empowering women financially and emotionally will actually address the issue. This is not a law made for is, this is for women who are at the lower end of pyramid. So, this shouldn’t be criminalised,” said NCP leader Supriya Sule.





4:52 pm IST Why didn’t Congress abolish triple talaq when they were in power?: Smriti Irani Attacking the Congress over triple talaq bill, Union minister Smriti Irani said, “Why didn’t Congress abolish triple talaq when they were in power?”, adding, “The Opposition said that this is a contract between two adults, so, I want to tell them that contracts can’t be broken unilaterally.”





4:48 pm IST This is a civil matter, don’t treat it as a criminal one: Mohammad Salim, CPI(M) leader “This is a contract between two adults. This is a civil matter, don’t treat as a criminal one. This is one country, so the law should be one for everyone,” said Mohammad Salim, CPI(M) leader





4:45 pm IST Constitution talks about a uniform civil code and not a uniform religious code: BJP leader Meenakshi Lekhi “Our constitution talks about a uniform civil code and not a uniform religious code. Do we want to create a society where men have the sole right to divorce women whenever they want, a society where men can change wives like clothes,” she asked.





3:55 pm IST Bill not to victimise anyone: Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi “The proposed bill is not to victimise anyone but to serve justice to Muslim women,” said Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, Minority affairs minister.





3:50 pm IST Any law in other religions that can send a man to 3 years of jail: Kharge “Is there a provision in Hindu law, or Christian laws where a man can be sent to jail for 3 years for giving a divorce.” asks Congress’ Kharge.





3:35 pm IST Bill should have gone to joint select committee once more: TMC “Had the bill been sent to the joint select committee another time, situation would have better,” said Sudip Bandyopadhyay,TMC.





3:25 pm IST Both men and women have right to terminate marriage: Raajhaa, AIADMK “As per Muslims personal law, both men and women have the right to terminate the institution of marriage, then why should only a man be penalised,” asks Raajhaa, AIADMK.





3:20 pm IST Why are Muslim husbands being targeted: A Anwhar Raajhaa, AIADMK. “The proposed bill is unconstitutional, aganist national integrity, it against Muslims’ personal law. Why are Muslim husbands being targeted,” asks A Anwhar Raajhaa, AIADMK. “The bill fails to answer who will take care of the wife and children for 3 years,” said Raajhaa.





2:55 pm IST ‘Not he vs she, these are issues of human rights violation’: Meenakshi Lekhi “Would like to ask those opposing the Triple Talaq Bill here that in which suraa of the holy Quran is talaq-e-biddat mentioned? This is not he vs she, these are issues of human rights violation” said Meenakshi Lekhi of BJP.





2:50 pm IST Most women try to save their marriages: Meenakshi Lekhi, BJP “Be it a Hindu woman, Muslim woman, or Christian, most women try to save their marriages, instead of filing for divorce,” said BJP’s Meenakshi Lekhi





2:48 pm IST Oppn demands talaq bill be referred to joint select committee A united opposition in the Lok Sabha Thursday pitched for referring the triple talaq bill to a ‘joint select committee’ of Parliament, claiming its provisions were unconstitutional and that there was a need for a greater scrutiny of the draft law.





2:45 pm IST Bill not about empowering Muslim women, it’s about penalising Muslim men: Sushmita “This bill is not about empowering Muslim women, it’s about penalising Muslim me. The bill must be sent to the appropriate committee, we have no right to play messiah,” said Sushmita Dev, Congress.





2:40 pm IST In the name of power, giving Muslim women a criminal case: Sushmita Dev, Congress “In the name of power [empowerment], you are giving the Muslim women nothing but a criminal case,” said Sushmita Dev, Congress leader from Assam.





2:20 pm IST Move is politically motivated with an eye to 2019 polls: NK Premchandran, RSP “The move is politically motivated with an eye to 2019 elections, I strongly oppose the ordinance and the bill, I rather suggest that the bill be sent the joint parliamentary select committee,” said NK Premchandran, RSP, Kerala.





2:15 pm IST ‘20 Islamic nations have banned triple talaq, why can’t we’: Prasad “20 Islamic nations have banned Triple talaq, then why can’t a secular nation like India? I request that this should not be looked through the prism of politics,” said Law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad.





2:12 pm IST 477 cases of triple talaq between Jan 2018 and Dec10 “Between January 2018 and December 10, around 477 cases of triple talaq has come to the fore. Even yesterday (Wednesday), such a case from Hyderabad came to our knowledge. That is why we brought an ordinance,” Law minister Ravi Shankar Prasadsaid.





2:10 pm IST Ravi Shankar Prasad moves Triple talaq bill in Lok Sabha Union Law and Justice minister Ravi Shankar Prasad today presented the Triple talaq bill in Lok Sabha. “This bill is a matter of justice for women, it’s a matter of their dignity. We are committed to serve justice to our women ,” said Ravi Shankar Prasad.





2:05 pm IST Triple talaq a constitutional matter: Kharge “This is a very important bill which needs detailed study. It is also a constitutional matter. I request the bill be sent to joint select committee,” said Mallikarjun Kharge, Congress in Lok Sabha. As soon as the House met at 2 pm after an adjournment to take up the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, Leader of the Congress in the Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge said that it be referred to a joint select committee of the two Houses for greater scrutiny.





12:40 pm IST Lok Sabha adjourned till 2 pm amid protests over Rafale and Cauvery issues Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan was again forced to adjourn the House till 2 PM Thursday amid continuous protests by opposition parties over various issues including the Rafale deal and Cauvery issues. Immediately after the House re-convened at noon, members from the Congress, TDP, and AIADMK jumped into the well with placards and started shouting slogans. Although few members managed to raise certain issues during the Zero Hour, the continuous sloganeering by opposition parties forced Mahajan to adjourn the House till 2 PM.





12:15 pm IST Lok Sabha to take up National Medical Commission Bill, 2017 The Lok Sabha on Thursday will take up The National Medical Commission Bill, 2017 for consideration and passing. The Bill will be moved by Union Health and Family Welfare Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda, reorts news agency ANI. The Bill provides for “a medical education system that ensures the availability of adequate and high-quality medical professionals; that encourages medical professionals to adopt the latest medical research in their work and to contribute to research.”





12:10 pm IST RS mourns death of former members The Rajya Sabha Thursday mourned the passing away of its former members Jai Narain Prasad Nishad and N Rajangam. Nishad, a former union minister, died on December 24 at the age of 88, Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu said reading out obituary references when the House met for the day. Nishad, who represented the state of Bihar in the Upper House from July 2004 to March 2008, was a minister in the Union government between 1996 and 1998.





12:01 pm IST Lok Sabha resumes sitting The Lok Sabha sitting resumed at 12 noon after it was adjourned due to uproar by Opposition over Rafale deal and other issues.





11:25 am IST Rajya Sabha adjourned for the day The Rajya Sabha was Thursday adjourned for the day without transacting any business after ruckus in the House over issues ranging from construction of a dam on the Cauvery River to violence in Uttar Pradesh’s Bulandshahr district.





11:17 am IST Lok Sabha adjourned till 12 noon Lok Sabha adjourned till 12 noon amid uproar by Opposition over Rafale deal and other issues.





11:15 am IST Indian Medical Council (Amendment) Bill, The Companies (Amendment) Bill, among other bills to be discussed The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, The Indian Medical Council (Amendment) Bill, The Companies (Amendment) Bill, The National Medical Commission Bill, and The New Delhi International Arbitration Centre Bill will be discussed in the Lok Sabha today.





11:05 am IST Will discuss Triple Talaq bill in Lok Sabha today: Kharge “We will take part in the discussion and keep forward our opinion. We will appeal to the govt that it should not interfere in a religious matter,” Congress’ Mallikarjun Kharge, Congress on discussion on Triple Talaq bill in Lok Sabha today.





10:25 am IST Cong issues whip to its Lok Sabha MPs to be present in the House today: Sources “The Congress has issued a whip to its Lok Sabha MPs to be present in the House today, says news agency ANI quoting sources.





9:30 am IST Ravi Shankar Prasad to move TripleTalaq bill Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad to move the Triple Talaq bill to be taken up for discussion in the Lok Sabha today, reports news agency ANI.



