The politically sensitive bill which seeks to make the practice of instant triple talaq among Muslim men a penal offence will come up for discussion in Lok Sabha today. The Lok Sabha had last week decided to take up the bill on December 27 after the Congress agreed to participate in the debate. 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. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Narendra Singh Tomar sought an assurance from the Opposition that it would allow discussion on the bill without disruption.
A new Triple Talaq Bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha on December 17 to make the practice of triple talaq among the Muslims a penal offence. It will supercede an ordinance issue in September. The ordinance had similar provisions as the Muslim Women Protection of Rights in Marriage Act, popularly known as the triple talaq Bill, which was cleared by the Lok Sabha in December last year. 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.
Here are the Live updates:
7:12 pm: Lok Sabha adjourned for the day.
7:10 pm: Lok Sabha passes Triple Talaq Bill.
7:02 pm: Amendments moved by NK Premachandran, Bhartruhari Mahtab and Asaduddin Owaisi defeated.
6:59 pm: Amendments moved by BJD leader Bhartruhari Mahtab also defeated.
6:53 pm: AIADMK MPs stage walkout in Lok Sabha.
6:49 pm: All amendments in Triple Talaq Bill moved by AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi defeated.
6:42 pm: Voting underway in Lok Sabha over Triple Talaq Bill.
6:40 pm: Congress stages a walkout in Lok Sabha over Triple Talaq Bill.
6:30 pm:Â "I don't understand why a secular nation like India should not eradicate instant Triple Talaq, which even Muslims countries have done away with," asks Prasad.
6:20 pm:Â "If Dowry law can be passed, why not Triple Talaq Bill, Ravi Shankar Prasad in Lok Sabha.
6:18 pm:Â Opposition demand for the joint select committee has possibly only 1 reason, why it is criminalised? When Parliament has passed bills calling for harsh punishment for other crimes then why no one said what will happen to families of culprits: Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad in Lok Sabha.
6:15 pm: Heated debate in Lok Sabha over triple talaq bill.
6:11 pm:Â Congress opposes triple talaq bill due to vote bank politics, alleges Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad.
6:05 pm:Â "You are decriminalising Section 377 but criminalising Triple Talaq. Don't misguide the nation on Triple Talaq in the name of Supreme Court judgment," AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi.
6:00 pm:Â "The Quran mentions the 'advance rules' for divorce," Ranjan says. She claims the community is not aware of the procedure set by their religion. She wonders why the issues faced by Hindu women are not discussed. "Won't you bring a law to protect Hindu women," says Congress MP Ranjeet Ranjan.
5:26 pm:Â The Bill is against the Muslim community. Our party will oppose the Bill, we are against it, that is our stand, says AIADMK MP Anwar Raja.
Anwar Raja, AIADMK MP on #TripleTalaqBill: The Bill is against the Muslim community. Our party will oppose the Bill, we are against it, that is our stand. pic.twitter.com/ft9d9SMV48
— ANI (@ANI) December 27, 2018
5:22 pm: "We are not doing this for vote bank politics. If that was all we were interested in, the cries of those Muslim women would not have reached this House," says Irani.
5:20 pm: Union Minister Smriti Irani said that more than 400 women have been victims of triple talaq despite the Supreme Court's verdict against it. "Four hundred is a huge number. Even if one woman is affected, every member sitting here should be disturbed," she added.
4:54 pm:Â If Muslim women are to be given justice, stop communal violence: Mohammad Salim, CPI-M.
4:21 pm:Â Bring Codified Muslim Personal Law as there is no safeguard to stop the misuse of the law, says BJD's Rabindra Jena.
4:14 pm:Â "Muslim women went to the PM and one woman said that she was given the third talaq. She asked the PM when everyone is living in the 21st century, why are you making us beg for mercy?": Naqvi.
3:58 pm:Â Prejudices like Sati and Child Marriage were abolished with the help of strong will. However, people made noise that all those prejudices were parts of religious customs- Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, Minister for Minority Affairs.
2.55 pm:Â I 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 about he vs she, these are issues of human rights violation, says Meenakshi Lekhi of the BJP.
2.46 pm: This law is not about empowering Muslim women, this law is about penalising Muslim men, says Sushmita Dev of the Congress opposing the criminalisation of triple talaq.
2:23 pm: 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, says Prasad.
2:17 pm: Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad counters Opposition and says “This (Triple Talaq) Bill is not against any community, religion or belief. This bill is for the rights of women and about justice.â€
Ravi Shankar Prasad, Law Minister in Lok Sabha: This bill is not against any community, religion or belief. This bill is for the rights of women and about justice #TripleTalaqBill pic.twitter.com/IjgoI2U1Tl
— ANI (@ANI) December 27, 2018
2:12 pm: Trinamool Congress leader Sudip Bandyopadhyay says, “We also request the Triple Talaq Bill be sent to joint select committee, all Opposition is of the same opinion.â€
2:08 pm: The debate on the Bill resumes in the Lok Sabha. “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,†says Mallikarjun Kharge.
Mallikarjun Kharge, Congress in Lok Sabha: 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 #TripleTalaqBill pic.twitter.com/YuKVyQ9sFV
— ANI (@ANI) December 27, 2018
1.36 pm:Â Lok Sabha adjourned till 2 pm after uproar by the Opposition.
11.35 am:Â Lok Sabha adjourned till 12 pm after uproar by the Opposition over the Rafale deal.
11.34 am: Sources says the AIADMK will oppose the Bill.
10.48 am:Â 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, said Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge.
Mallikarjun Kharge, Congress on discussion on #TripleTalaqbill in Lok Sabha today: 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. pic.twitter.com/ThQ4U5fxz5
— ANI (@ANI) December 27, 2018
10.30 am: Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad to move the Triple Talaq bill to be taken up for discussion in the Lok Sabha today.
Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad to move the #TripleTalaq bill to be taken up for discussion in the Lok Sabha today. (file pic) pic.twitter.com/pmMSsaORwF
— ANI (@ANI) December 27, 2018