SC agrees to examine triple talaq validity, issues notice to Centre

New Delhi, Aug 23: The Supreme Court on Friday agreed to examine the validity of a newly enacted law which makes the practice of instant divorce through triple talaq among Muslims a punishable offence entailing imprisonment of up to three years.

A bench of justices N V Ramana and Ajay Rastogi also issued a notice to the Central government after hearing three petitions which had challenged the constitutional validity of 'The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Act, 2019 (Triple Talaq law).

"We will examine this," the bench told senior advocate Salman Khurshid, who was appearing for one of the petitioners. Khurshid told the bench that there were many dimensions, including making the practice a punishable offence and jail term of up to three years, which was required to be examined by the top court.

Khurshid told the bench that there were many dimensions, including making the practice a punishable offence and jail term of up to three years, which was required to be examined by the top court.

The contentious bill to ban Triple Talaq was passed in the Parliament last month. The bill that seeks to end the practice of Muslim men instantly divorcing their wives by uttering "talaq" thrice saw stiff opposition in the Lok Sabha but had a smooth passage in the Rajya Sabha.

After the bill was passed in Rajya Sabha, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had tweeted that it was a victory of gender justice.