Lok Sabha votes on Triple Talaq Bill
The Lok Sabha on Thursday passed the contentious Triple Talaq Bill, which makes the practice illegal with up to three years in jail for the husband.
Moving the bill for consideration, Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said the legislation was a must for gender equality and justice as despite an August 2017 Supreme Court verdict striking down the practice of instant triple talaq, women are being divorced by 'talaq-e-biddat'.
He said, since January 2017, 574 such cases have been reported by the media.
Three ordinances have so been promulgated as a similar bill moved by the previous government could not get parliamentary nod.
A fresh bill was introduced by the new government in June during the ongoing Parliament session.
Under the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, 2019, divorcing through instant triple talaq will be illegal, void and would attract a jail term of three years for the husband.
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18:51| Triple Talaq Bill passed in Lok Sabha
18:50| Opposition walks out of Lok Sabha, including members from Congress, JDU, TMC
18:45| Congress MPs have walked out of the Lok Sabha during voting on Triple Talaq Bill
18:35 | Voting on Triple Talaq amendments
18:15 | Voting is underway in Lok Sabha on the Triple Talaq Bill
17:30 | The Parliament session will be extended till August 7
17:20 | Muslim women because triple talaq is only in Muslim community: Ravi Shankar Prasad
16:30 | JD(U) has opposed the triple talaq bill; and has walked out
16:20 | Asaduddin Owaisi rakes up India's #MeToo movement
"Why didn't you take action against your MP? You want justice for Mulsim women but why didn't you take any action against your own leader [MJ Akbar]," Owaisi says.
Owaisi also rakes up the Sabarimala issue: "If you want justice for women, I would request you to take all your women leaders in a chopper to Sabarimala."
16:15 | Bedlam in Rajya Sabha during the discussion on Right to Information (Amendment) Bill 2019
16:10 | Owaisi calls triple talaq bill draconian, and doesn't agree with a few details in the bill
16:05 | Debate in Lok Sabha over triple talaq bill continues
15:55 | Rajya Sabha adjourned again
15:30 | From what we hear, the Lok Sabha has turned oddly filmy.
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav is defending his MP Azam Khan over what he said to BJP MP Rama Devi.
Azam Khan had said to Rama Devi: "Aap mujhe itni achchhi lagti hain ki mann chahta aapki aankhon mein dekhta rahoon."
OMG!
To this, Rama Devi said: "Expunge your remark."
Akhilesh Yadav said: "I don't think Azam Khan ji meant any disrespect to the chair [Rama Devi]. These [BJP MPs] people are so rude, Who are they to raise fingers?"
14:45 | Rajya Sabha adjourned after ruckus in House
14:20 | RTI Amendment BIll moved in Rajya Sabha
13:50 | "Why are you not enforcing imprisonment for divorce in the Hindu and Christian communities? Why alone in Muslim community? This is discrimination against Muslim community," NK Premachandran, Revolutionary Socialist Party says.
13:35 | From what we hear, an argument has ensued between BJP leader Meenakshi Lekhi and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav over the bill
13:10 | Prasad says to allay fears that the proposed law could be misused, the government has included certain safeguards in it such as adding a provision of bail for the accused before trial.
While the bill makes triple talaq a "non-bailable" offence, an accused can approach a magistrate even before trial to seek bail.
In a non-bailable offence, bail cannot be granted by police at the police station itself.
"A provision has been added to allow the magistrate to grant bail "after hearing the wife," he adds.
13:05 | This is not about a religion, it's about the rights of a woman and her dignity, says Ravi Shankar Prasad
13:00 | Gender justice is the most important thing for us, Ravi Shankar Prasad adds
12:55 | "After the Supreme Court judgement on triple talaq, 345 cases of triple talaq have come to light till July 24, 2019," says Ravi Shankar Prasad.
12:50 | Ravi Shankar Prasad is discussing triple talaq bill in Lok Sabha
11:45 | MDMK leader Vaiko takes oath as member of Rajya Sabha
POCSO amendment bill passed in Rajya Sabha
The Rajya Sabha on Wednesday passed a bill entailing amendments to the POCSO Act by including death penalty for aggravated sexual assault on children, besides providing stringent punishments for other crimes against minors. The bill would now be sent to the Lok Sabha for approval.
The Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Amendment) Bill, 2019 also provides for fines and imprisonment to curb child pornography.
While, replying to the debate, Union Women and Child Development Minister Smriti Irani said the government is setting up 1,023 fast track courts, which would specially deal withe POCSO related cases.
The minister also spoke on the growing number of such cases and lauded the support from members cutting across party lines.
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Video: Triple talaq bill to be tabled in Lok Sabha today
