Muslim women celebrate passing of Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, 2019

In a historic victory for the Narendra Modi government, the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday passed the bill that makes instant triple talaq a criminal offence and provides for a jail term to a Muslim man for the crime. The Upper House passed the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, 2019 by 99-84 votes. Earlier the Rajya Sabha rejected the motion to send the bill to a select panel by 100-84 votes.

Introducing the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, 2019, Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said that though the practice had been banned in many Islamic countries, India had not done so despite being a secular nation.