Triple talaq bill to be tabled in Rajya Sabha on Monday; BJP, Cong issue whips
New Delhi, Dec 30: Both the BJP as well as the Congress have issued whips to their MPs to be present in Parliament on December 31.
While the BJP whip went out to its Rajya Sabha MPs, the Congress issued a three-line whip to its Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha MPs asking them to be present in Parliament on Monday, ANI reported.
The contentious triple talaq bill seeking to criminalise the practice of instant divorce among Muslims is set to be tabled in the Rajya Sabha Monday, even as the Congress has said it will not allow its passage in the present form.
It is a win win situation for the ruling dispensation in Rajya Sabha on triple talaq issue!
Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad will table the bill in the Upper House. The bill was cleared by the Lok Sabha -- 245 voting in favour and 11 opposing it -- on Thursday amid a walkout by the Opposition.
The bill is listed in the Rajya Sabha's legislative agenda for Monday.
All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary K C Venugopal told reporters in Kochi Saturday the party would join hands with others to prevent the bill from getting passed in the House.
He said 10 opposition parties had openly come out against the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, 2018 when it was introduced in the Lok Sabha.
Even the parties which support the government on various issues, including the AIADMK, have opposed the bill, said Venugopal, who is also a Congress floor strategist.
The
opposition
has
questioned
the
stringent
provisions
like
criminalisation
of
a
civil
wrong
in
the
triple
talaq
bill.
The
Opposition
has
been
demanding
that
the
bill
be
referred
to
a
'Joint
Select
Committee' of
Parliament
for
further
scrutiny.
The fresh Bill to make the practice of triple talaq among Muslims a penal offence was introduced in Lok Sabha on December 17 to replace an ordinance issued in September.
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.
The
fresh
bill
will
supersede
an
earlier
bill
passed
in
the
Lok
Sabha
and
pending
in
the
Rajya
Sabha.
The earlier bill was approved by the Lower House.
Triple Talaq Bill passed, but women groups raise 10 concerns
But amid opposition by some parties in the upper house, the government had cleared some amendments, including introduction of a provision of bail, to make it more acceptable.
However, as the bill continued to face resistance in the Rajya Sabha, the government issued an ordinance in September, incorporating the amendments.
An ordinance has a life of six months. But from the day a session begins, it has to be replaced by a bill which should be passed by Parliament within 42 days (six weeks), else it lapses.
The government is at liberty to re-promulgate the ordinance if the bill fails to get through Parliament.