Zee News, November 21, 2017
The Narendra Modi government may introduce a bill to end triple talaq in the Winter Session of Parliament. A Ministerial Committee has been constituted to frame a new law to end the practice.
The Supreme Court had in August struck down the controversial practice of Talaq-e-biddat in which Muslim men can divorce their wives by mentioning the word ‘talaq (divorce)’ three times in one go. SC had then said termed instant divorce custom as arbitrary and unconstitutional.
A five-judge bench, comprising Justices JS Khehar, Kurian Joseph, Rohinton F Nariman, UU Lalit and Abdul Nazeer had said in the order said that “in view of the different opinions recorded, by a majority of 3:2 the practice of talaq-e-biddat – triple talaq – is set aside.”
The three separate verdicts comprising of 395 pages did not concur with the minority view of the CJI and Justice SA Nazeer that ‘triple talaq’ was a part of religious practice and the government should step in and bring in a law.
The three judges, Justices Joseph, Nariman and UU Lalit, expressly disagreed with the CJI and Justice Nazeer on the key issue whether triple talaq was fundamental to Islam.
Though the dates for the Winter Session have not been announced yet, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar said the government will call the session in December.