Triple talaq bill not to be tabled in Rajya Sabha this session

No consensus could be built around the bill, says Naidu

The bill proposes a three-year jail term for a Muslim man who divorces his wife in any form of spoken, written or by electronic means | ANI The bill proposes a three-year jail term for a Muslim man who divorces his wife in any form of spoken, written or by electronic means | ANI

A day after the Union cabinet cleared three amendments to the Muslim Women Protection of Rights on Marriage Bill, Rajya Sabha Chairman Venkaiah Naidu said on Friday that the bill would not be tabled in the upper house in the monsoon session.

"The triple talaq bill will not be taken up today (Friday) because no consensus could be built around it," Naidu said. Friday is the last day of the monsoon session.

The cabinet had on Thursday approved inclusion of a provision of granting bail to men found guilty of giving instant triple talaq to their wives. Under the amendments, the magistrate will have powers to grant bail to the accused.

The bill proposes a three-year jail term for a Muslim man who divorces his wife in any form of spoken, written or by electronic means such as email, SMS, and WhatsApp.  Lok Sabha had passed the bill on December 29.

After the bill would be passed in Rajya Sabha, it would go back to lower house for approval of the amendments.

Provision of bail was one of the demands of the opposition parties.

(With inputs from agencies)