Triple talaq bill gets cabinet nod

ACCORDING TO THE DRAFT LAW, GIVING INSTANT TRIPLE TALAQ WILL ATTRACT A JAIL TERM AS WELL AS A FINE FOR THE HUSBAND

NEW DELHI: The Union cabinet cleared a draft law on Friday that provides a three-year jail term for a man who tries to end his marriage through instant triple talaq or talaq-e-biddat.

The draft law will be tabled in the ongoing session of Parliament. While law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad confirmed that the ‘Muslim Women Protection of Rights on Marriage Bill’ has been approved, he refused to share details as Parliament is in session. According to the draft law prepared by an inter-ministerial group headed by home minister Rajnath Singh, giving instant triple talaq will be “illegal and void” and will attract a jail term as well as a fine for the husband.

A man attempting to divorce his wife through instant triple talaq in any form, spoken, written or communicated through electronic means like instant messages and emails, can be handed out a sentence of three years in prison and a fine, the proposed law states. The offence will be cognisable and non-bailable.

Talaq-e-biddat is a custom under Muslim personal law that allows a man to divorce his wife by uttering the word “talaq” thrice. “Before the judgement this year, there were 177 reported cases of talaq-e-biddat. Since then, there have been 67. These are only reported cases, the actual figure could be much higher,” a law ministry source involved in drafting the bill, said.

GOVT NOD TO AMEND SPECIFIC RELIEF ACT

NEW DELHI: In a move to further ease procedures for doing business in the country, the cabinet on Friday approved a bill proposing to amend the Specific Relief Act, 1963, law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said. “The Specific Relief Act, 1963, is being changed substantially... being modernised for promoting growth and investment,” he said.

The government has been contemplating amendments to limit the compensation that courts can give in cases involving execution of projects.