Lok Sabha Debates "Triple Talaq" Bill, Vote Today: 10 Points
The BJP has long pushed for a uniform civil code, which would stop religious laws operating in issues like marriage, divorce and property inheritance. Religious institutions were initially allowed to govern these issues to protect the independence of different faiths.
Ravi Shankar Prasad introduced the bill on instant "Triple Talaq" in the Lok Sabha.
New Delhi: A bill that makes instant "Triple Talaq" a criminal offence and proposes a three-year jail term for a Muslim man who divorces his wife by uttering the word "talaq" thrice, is being debated in the Lok Sabha, which is expected to pass it this evening. It could, however, get stuck in the Rajya Sabha. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said at a meeting of BJP parliamentarians this morning that he hopes the bill will be passed in parliament with the consensus of all parties.
Here are the top 10 developments in this story:
Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, who introduced the legislation in the Lok Sabha, said it was a "historic day for India" and a "significant step towards women empowerment, women's respect and women's rights." The bill, the minister, said is about justice and respect for women and not about any religion or community.
Several parties opposed the bill's introduction, including the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), whose chief Asaduddin Owaisi alleged that the bill "does injustice to Muslim women," violates the Right to Freedom and that Muslims were not consulted in its drafting.
The Congress has emphasised that it supports "any move to abolish the Triple Talaq," though it has questioned the jail term provision and wants some changes in the bill. "We need to strengthen the bill to protect women. If a man who abandons his wife and family is sent to jail how will he give them maintenance?" said Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala.
The Congress has said it would prefer a review of the bill by a parliamentary panel, but is not expected to press for changes today when the "Triple Talaq" bill is put to vote in the Lok Sabha; the government has a big majority in the house and so the bill will sail through anyway.
But, sources said, the main opposition party is likely to seek amendments in the Rajya Sabha, which will mean that the bill will have to be sent to a parliamentary committee for review and is unlikely to be passed in the winter session. Both houses must clear legislation for it to become law.
Already the government side is depleted in the Rajya Sabha, with the "Triple Talaq" bill being opposed by parties like the Biju Janata Dal and AIADMK, considered government-friendly as they regularly help it pass bills. The ruling BJP and allies are in a minority in the Rajya Sabha and so need the help of such parties to push bills.
West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress, which draws substantial support from Muslim voters, has not made its stand on the bill clear yet. The Samajwadi Party, which too counts on Muslim votes, has said it opposes the bill in its current form.
Parliamentary affairs minister Ananth Kumar said after the BJP meet this morning that the government will try to evolve a consensus on the bill in Rajya Sabha by talking to different parties, a process that he said has already begun.
The Supreme Court had in August this year ruled that the "Triple Talaq" is unconstitutional. Muslim women had petitioned the court, arguing that practice of husbands divorcing them through "Triple Talaq", including by Skype and WhatsApp, not only violated their rights but also left many women destitute.
"Only a law can explicitly ban Triple Talaq, we have to enforce legal procedures to provide allowance and protect custody of children," said Ravi Shankar Prasad as he introduced the bill today, noting that the practice has continued despite the Supreme Court order.
