'Triple Talaq Bill aims to ensure gender justice, protection'

New Delhi [India], Dec. 28 (ANI): Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar on Thursday said that the bill on Triple Talaq is aimed to give gender justice, protection and respect to Muslim women.

Addressing the media after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Parliamentary meet, Kumar said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has appealed for consensus in passing the bill.

"Prime Minister Narendra Modi appealed for unanimous passage of the Bill as it aims to give gender justice, protection and respect," he said.

He said that the Bill will be tabled by Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad in the Lok Sabha today.

"It will be first introduced in Lok Sabha and it will be considered there for passing of the Bill and then it will go to Rajya Sabha," he added.

The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill 2017, which seeks to criminalise the practice of triple talaq, will be tabled in the Parliament by Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad today.

The draft bill says, "Any pronouncement of talaq by a person upon his wife, by words, either spoken or written or in electronic form or in any other manner whatsoever, shall be void and illegal".

There is also a provision of imprisonment for a term, which may extend to three years and fine for violators. The draft bill also envisages entitling divorcee Muslim women for maintenance.

It also has a provision for the divorcee Muslim women to have the custody of their minor children. The offences under the purview of this bill will be cognisable and non-bailable.

The Bill shall extend to the whole of India except Jammu and Kashmir. (ANI)