President Ram Nath Kovind, Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, and other dignitaries ahead of Kovind’s address to the joint sitting of Parliament. (Express photo by Anil Sharma)A day after President Ram Nath Kovind addressed a joint session of Parliament, a series of fresh bills including the triple talaq Bill is expected to be tabled in Lok Sabha today. The Bill, if passed, will replace the Ordinance passed by the previous government in February after a similar Bill could not be passed in the Rajya Sabha.
The President, in his customary address after the formation of the 17th Lok Sabha, focused on the eradication of ‘triple talaq’ and ‘Nikah halala,’, calling it “imperative.”
He also asserted that the country would take all possible steps to ensure its national security. He stated that the government had “decided to implement the process of National Register of Citizens on priority basis in areas affected by infiltration”. He said, “Efforts will be made to amend the Citizenship Act while protecting the linguistic, cultural and social identities.” Illegal infiltrators, he maintained, posed a major threat to national security. In his address, Kovind also pushed for simultaneous elections in the country, describing it as “need of the hour.” “I urge all members of Parliament to seriously ponder over this development-oriented proposal of ‘One Nation-Simultaneous Elections’,” he said.
Homeopathy Central Council (Amendment) Bill 2019 to be tabled
Along with the Triple Talaq bill, the Homeopathy Central Council (Amendment) Bill 2019 will also be tabled in the Lok Sabha today.
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla leads yoga day celebrations at Parliament
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, dressed in a white track suit, led yoga day celebrations at Parliament premises on Friday.
Along with staffers, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Prahlad Joshi, BJP MPs Locket Chatterjee, Poonamben Maadam and Bhupendra Yadav, and former aviation minister Suresh Prabhu were among those who participated in the celebrations at the Parliament premises.
Triple Talaq bill to be tabled today
The previous Modi government had brought three ordinances to penalise the practice of triple talaq with imprisonment up to three years. The first ordinance was brought in after the Monsoon Session of the Parliament in 2018, a second ordinance was issued after the Winter Session, and the third was announced by the last cabinet on February 19, just weeks ahead of the general elections.
The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill was passed by the 16th Lok Sabha in December after four hours of debate. The Opposition has been against certain provisions criminalising the practice.