Manipur chief minister N Biren Singh expressed jubilant at the passage of the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill which is known as Triple Talaq Bill.
N Biren said India is truly moving in the right direction today as the bill aims at ensuring gender dignity, justice and equality.
The Manipur CM also said he is extremely happy for the Muslim community as the bill will now empower Muslim women and provide them justice.
Also read: Tripura CM assures of helping victims of triple talaq
“The bill was passed by Parliament on Tuesday with the Rajya Sabha approving the bill. The bill will now go to President Ram Nath Kovind for his assent,” said Chief Minister’s Secretariat in a press release.
“The Supreme Court had earlier declared the practice of instant triple talaq unconstitutional and a divorce pronounced by uttering talaq three times in one sitting void and illegal,” it added.
Also read: Himanta Biswa lauds passage of Triple Talaq Bill in Rajya Sabha
Popularly called Triple Talaq Bill, the bill makes instant triple talaq a criminal offence, and provides for a three jail term to a Muslim man for the crime.
The Triple Talaq Bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha and passed by the House last week.
The bill is expected to replace an ordinance promulgated on February 21 to the same effect.
The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill was passed by 99 votes in favour and 84 votes against it.
As the ruling NDA, which lacks majority in the Upper House, was also helped by the absence of some members of the opposition Congress, SP and BSP as well as six members of Telangana Rashtra Samithi and two MPs of YSR-Congress, according to agency reports.
Manipur chief minister N Biren Singh expressed his gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his vision and leadership.
He said with the passage of the bill, an ‘out-of-place and medieval practice’ has finally been confined to the annals of history.
The passage of the bill is a major political win for the Narendra Modi government.
It was the first draft legislation that the Narendra Modi cabinet passed after being voted back to power in the 2019 Lok Sabha election, it added.