Union Cabinet approves ordinance to make triple talaq a punishable offence; petitioners welcome move

The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved an ordinance making triple talaq a punishable offence after the government failed to pass it through Parliament. The government has taken the ordinance route to provide similar provisions in the Bill as The Muslim Women Protection of Rights in Marriage Act, which was cleared by the Lok Sabha in 2017. [caption id=“attachment_4635151” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Representational image. AP[/caption] The Bill had faced a stiff resistance in the Rajya Sabha where several Opposition leaders argued for it to be sent to a select committee for close scrutiny. However, when the government sought the opinion of various state governments on the matter, most of the state governments supported the Centre’s stand, News18 reported. This is the second ordinance that has been moved by the government on the triple talaq issue, having considered the Opposition’s objections to the Bill. This will now be ratified by the Parliament in the winter session later in 2018. The Bill makes instant triple talaq — delivered in any form — a criminal offence and proposes a three-year jail term for a Muslim man who divorces his wife by uttering the word ’talaq’ thrice. The Bill to make ’talaq-e-biddat’ void and illegal has provisions for imprisonment and fine for anyone invoking it and also deals with subsistence allowance to a Muslim woman and her children by the estranged husband along with a provision for custodial rights of minor children. Muslim women had petitioned in court against the practice, arguing that this practice not only violated their rights but also left many women destitute and helpless. Thereafter, the Supreme Court, in August 2017, declared instant triple talaq illegal and unconstitutional. One of the petitioners, Shaista Ambar spoke to CNN-News18 and welcomed the government’s move to bring about an ordinance in the Parliament for passing the Triple Talaq Bill.