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Muslim women ride on a rickshaw in a market, near Jama Masjid in New Delhi on Thursday. (PTI)[/caption]
New Delhi, July 25 (IANS): Moving for consideration and passage, Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on Thursday said that a contentious Bill that advocates three years jail for a husband who goes for Triple Talaq was needed to provide gender justice and equality.
Citing the Supreme Court's 2017 verdict striking down the illegal practice and asking Parliament to bring a law over the issue, the Minister moved The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, 2019 to protect the rights of married Muslim women and to prohibit divorce by pronouncing talaq by their husbands.
Prasad said that women were being divorced by 'talaq-e-biddat'.
He said the Supreme Court had noted that 20 Islamic countries including Pakistan, Afghanistan, Malaysia, Indonesia, Jordan, Egypt and Tunisia had outlawed Triple Talaq.
And if they could do it, why cannot it be done in India which is a secular country, he asked.
"The Supreme Court has said that Triple Talaq is arbitrary and unconstitutional and asked Parliament to make a law. When we come up with a law, it is opposed. What should our Muslim women do in this situation?
"The question is what should be done in this situation. Should our Muslim sisters be left (in this situation)?"
He said the Indian Constitution's core philosophy was gender justice. "The Indian Constitution is equal for all daughters. So the Bill is needed."
The Minister said that three ordinances had so been promulgated as a similar Bill moved by the previous Modi government could not get parliamentary approval.
A fresh Bill was introduced by the new government in June.
Under the Bill, divorcing through instant Triple Talaq would be illegal, void and attract a jail term of three years for the husband.
Prasad rejected fears that the proposed law could be misused and asserted that certain safeguards had been put in it including provision for bail before trial.
While the Bill makes Triple Talaq a non-bailable offence, an accused can approach a Magistrate before trial to seek bail.
In a non-bailable offence, bail cannot be granted at the police station.
A provision has been added to allow the Magistrate to grant bail "after hearing the wife", the Minister said.
Lok Sabha session extended till August 7
Speaker Om Birla on Thursday extended the first session of the Lok Sabha till August 7 on the government's request.
Birla made the announcement after Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi requested him to extent the House proceedings so that over 20 pending Bills could be passed.
The first session of the 17th Lok Sabha commenced on June 17 with oath-taking by members and it was scheduled to conclude on July 26.
The government's request came two days after the BJP's Parliamentary Party meeting which decided to extend the proceedings of the Parliament. The meeting was held on July 23 and was attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar among others.
