Ravi Shankar Prasad to introduce bill criminalising instant triple talaq in Lok Sabha on 28 December

New Delhi: A bill seeking to criminalise the practice of instant triple talaq among Muslims is set to be introduced in the Lok Sabha on Thursday. The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill is listed for introduction in the Lok Sabha by law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on 28 December, according to the list of business in the Lower House. [caption id=“attachment_4266639” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image of Union law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad. PTI[/caption] The bill, prepared by an inter-ministerial group headed by home minister Rajnath Singh, makes instant triple talaq or talaq-e-biddat in any form – spoken, in writing or by electronic means such as email, SMS and WhatsApp – “illegal and void” and provides for a jail term of three years for the husband. It was cleared by the Union Cabinet earlier this month. The bill was listed for introduction last week, but Parliamentary affairs minister Ananth Kumar later told reporters that it would be introduced this week. As per the provisions of the bill, the husband could also be fined and the quantum of fine would be decided by the magistrate hearing the case. The bill is being introduced as the practice still continued despite the Supreme Court striking down ‘talaq-e-biddat’. The proposed law would only be applicable to instant triple talaq and it would give power to the victim to approach a magistrate seeking “subsistence allowance” for herself and minor children. The woman can also seek the custody of her minor children from the magistrate who will take a final call on the issue.