NEW DELHI: Senior BJP leader and Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad took charge of the Ministry of Law and Justice on Monday. Prasad held the same portfolio in the previous Narendra Modi-led NDA government.
The Opposition is opposing provisions of the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill – commonly known as the triple talaq Bill in Rajya Sabha where the ruling BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government lacked numbers to ensure its passage.
According to a legislative procedure, a Bill pending in the Upper House which has not been passed by the Lok Sabha does not lapse on dissolution of the Lok Sabha. However, a Bill which is passed by the Lok Sabha and if fail to sail in the Upper House will lapses on the dissolution of the Lok Sabha.
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With the dissolution of the 16th Lok Sabha, the contentious bill on banning triple talaq had lapsed and will have to be reintroduced to clear Lok Sabha again.
To a question, if the Triple Talaq Bill would be his priority, Prasad said the bill to ban the practice of instant triple talaq again in Parliament. He said, “Triple Talaq has been mentioned in our manifesto. Why not?”
The Bill criminalises the practice of instant triple talaq (talaq-e-biddat) with a provision of three years imprisonment to the erring husband for divorcing his wife is legally untenable.