Union Cabinet clears Bill on instant triple talaq

NEW DELHI: The NDA government has cleared the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, 2017, that seeks to make instant triple talaq (Talaq-e-biddat) illegal and a punishable offence, paving the way for its introduction in the winter session of Parliament which began on Friday.

The bill to make Talaq-ebiddat void and illegal has provisions for imprisonment and fine for anyone invoking it. It also deals with subsistence allowance to a Muslim woman and her children from the estranged man as well as custodial rights of minor children. The bill will cover instant triple talaq delivered in any form — whether delivered orally, including telephone or a mobile call, or in writing or through electronic medium like Watsapp or SMS — illegal.

Though the bill will be introduced in the on-going winter session, it is likely to be sent to the Standing Committee on Law and Justice and may have to wait till the budget session for discussion and passage.


The Supreme Court had in a verdict in August declared instant triple talaq illegal and unconstitutional. Following this, the Modi government had formed a group of ministers comprising finance minister Arun Jaitley, home minister Rajnath Singh, external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj and law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad to look into the issue.