NEW DELHI: Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday hailed the passage of the triple talaq bill by Parliament, saying the legislation will free Muslim women from the "curse of this regressive practice". He also described the passage of the bill by the Rajya Sabha as a great day for India's democracy.

"I congratulate PM @narendramodi ji for fulfilling his commitment and ensuring a law to ban triple talaq, which will free Muslim women from the curse of this regressive practice. I thank all parties who supported this historic bill," he tweeted.

The Lok Sabha had passed the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill last week and with the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday approving it, the practice of instant divorce by Muslim men would be punishable by a jail term of up to three years.

The Upper House passed the bill by 99 votes in favour and 84 against it.

Meanwhile, hailing the passage of the triple talaq bill by Parliament, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Tuesday that a historic wrong done to Muslim women has been corrected and an "archaic and medieval practice" confined to the dustbin of history.

India rejoices today, he said in tweets minutes after Rajya Sabha passed the bill. Lok Sabha had passed the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, 2019 last week.

Modi said this is a victory of gender justice and will further equality in society, as he expressed his thanks to all parties and MPs who supported its passage.

These parties and MPs have risen to the occasion and this step of theirs will forever be remembered in India's history, he said.