The Narendra Modi government has listed the contentious triple talaq bill for consideration and passage in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday.
The bill has already been passed by the Lok Sabha by a voice vote amid a walkout by the Congress, Samajwadi Party, Trinamool Congress, DMK and others. The triple talaq bill was passed by the 16th Lok Sabha but could not pass the Rajya Sabha hurdle.
The ruling BJP has issued a whip to its MPs, asking them to ensure their presence in the Rajya Sabha.
The triple talaq bill, which criminalises instant divorce by Muslim men and seeks a jail term for the guilty, was the first draft legislation tabled by the Narendra Modi government in this first session after it took oath of office for a second term in May.
Several opposition parties have bitterly opposed it, but the government has asserted that the bill is a step towards gender equality and justice. Parties like the Congress, the Trinamool Congress and the DMK have demanded that it be sent to a parliamentary committee for scrutiny.
Unlike the Lok Sabha, where the BJP-led NDA enjoys strong majority, the ruling alliance will face an uphill task in Rajya Sabha where opposition parties have numerical advantage over the treasury benches.
Some of the BJP's allies, including the JD(U), have also expressed their reservations about the triple talaq bill.
