India's lower house of parliament has approved a bill making the Muslim practice of instant divorce, known as "triple talaq", illegal and punishable with up to three years imprisonment.

Key points: Talaq is the Arabic word for divorce

Talaq is the Arabic word for divorce Saying Talaq three times at any time and via any medium, including text message or social media post would mean instant divorce

Saying Talaq three times at any time and via any medium, including text message or social media post would mean instant divorce The bill must be approved by the upper house before becoming law

MPs voted a few months after India's Supreme Court struck down the practice as unconstitutional.

Most of the 170 million Muslims in India are Sunnis governed by Muslim personal law for family matters and disputes.

Those laws include allowing men to divorce their wives by simply uttering the Arabic word "talaq," or divorce, three times — and not necessarily consecutively, but at any time, and by any medium, including telephone, text message or social media post.

Sorry, this video has expired Head campaigner Zakia Soman discusses the push to ban the controversial law.

Several opposition parties criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government for not discussing the legislation with them before it was introduced to Parliament.

The approved bill will now go to the upper house for approval before it becomes law.

More than 20 Muslim countries, including neighbouring Pakistan and Bangladesh, have banned the practice.

But in India, the practice continued with the protection of laws that allow Muslim, Christian and Hindu communities to follow religious law in matters like marriage, divorce, inheritance and adoption.

While most Hindu personal laws have been overhauled and codified over the years, Muslim laws have been left to religious authorities and left largely untouched.

AP