Indian Parliament Bans Instant Triple ‘Talaq’

New Delhi, MINA – The lower house of the Indian Parliament on Thursday passed a controversial bill to ban triple ‘talaq’ or uttering the word ‘talaq’ (divorce) thrice by a Muslim husband.

The Protection of Rights on Marriage Bill for 2017 sets a three-year jail term for a Muslim husband who uses triple talaq; it will be sent to the Rajya Sabha (the upper house of parliament as a prelude to signing it into law by the President.

The government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi termed the passing of the bill a historic step. However, the move by the right-wing Bharatiya Janata Party-dominated parliament was questioned by a number of MPs terming the bill as “arbitrary in nature and a faulty proposal.”

The newly passed Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill covers only instant triple talaq or ‘talaq-e-biddat’ in which a husband pronounces three talaq in a go.

The proposed bill allows the female victim to seek subsistence for herself and minor children in addition to the custody of minor children.

The new law also stipulates that instant triple talaq in any form would be illegal and void.

There are few cases when husbands give instant triple talaq either through spoken words or in writing email, SMS or WhatsApp. Hence, the BJP’s move courted controversies as many see it as aimed at targeting the Muslims in the name of protecting Muslim women.

The bill has to pass through the Rajya Sabha.

The Supreme Court of India had banned earlier the practice of triple talaq saying it is against the spirit of Indian constitution and is also against the teachings of Islam.

The Supreme Court’s move came after few victims of triple talaq approached the court seeking to ban the practice. (T/RS5/RS1)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)