Muslim board okays Triple Talaq Bill

The All-India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) on Thursday said that they will welcome ‘The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, 2017, popularly known as the Triple Talaq Bill, if the government removes serious lacunae from the Bill.

AIMPLB spokesperson Maulana Syed Khaleel-urRahman Sajjad Noamani said that the Bill is full of serious lacunae and flaws and if they were removed, the board was ready to accept it. “The board is not against the Bill but there are lacunae which violate the Constitution and fundamental rights,” he said.

His strongest objection to the Bill was that it covertly and cleverly seeks to ban not only the instant Triple Talaq but also the institution of talaq itself.

“The Attorney General (AG) had told the Supreme Court during the hearing of a case that once this Bill is cleared, the government will take steps to prohibit all forms of ‘talaq’. The judges were surprised at this statement,” he said.

“When a judge asked the AG about what would be the option for a Muslim husband if he wants to give ‘talaq’, the AG replied that the government will pass a law later,” the spokesperson said.

Flaying the government, Mr Noamani said that it is a matter of shame that the government is taking efforts to pass such a ‘dangerous law’ in the country.

Noamani said that making instant ‘triple talaq’ a cognizable offence is a dangerous move as it will be open to misuse and anybody can lodge a police complaint against anyone alleging that he has given a ‘triple talaq’.

“Even if the wife denies, police can arrest him,” the AIMPLB spokesperson explained. He thanked those parties, including NDA members, who understood the issue and opposed the Bill.