Lok Sabha defers discussion on triple talaq bill

The Lok Sabha on Thursday deferred a discussion on the triple talaq bill after the Opposition Congress requested Speaker Sumitra Mahajan that the proposed legislation should be taken up for consideration on December 27.

Though the Lok Sabha passed two bills amid the din, it did not take up the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill 2018 — commonly known as triple talaq bill — for consideration.

When the speaker moved to start a discussion on the triple talaq bill, several MPs of the Congress were in the well of the Lok Sabha, waving placards and raising slogans demanding a Joint Parliamentary Committee to probe the alleged irregularities in 2016 Rafale fighter jet deal.

Mallikarjun Kharge, leader of the Congress in the Lok Sabha, requested the speaker to defer the discussion on the bill. “This is a very important bill. The Opposition wants a healthy discussion over the bill. I request you to defer the debate on the bill to December 27,” he told Mahajan.

The speaker asked him if the Congress MPs would participate in the discussion on the bill on December 27 without creating any disturbance in the House. Kharge replied that his party MPs would take part in the discussion.

Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said that he respected Kharge and would expect the Congress leader to assure the discussion on the triple talaq bill on December 27 would be held peacefully. He also requested the members to take up the bill in “a peaceful and sanguine manner”.

After Kharge reiterated his commitment, the speaker agreed to take up the bill for discussion on December 27.

The government introduced the new Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, 2018, in the Lok Sabha on Monday. The new bill would replace a similar bill passed by the Lok Sabha on December 28, 2017, but still pending in the Rajya Sabha.

The government promulgated an ordinance on September 19, 2017, incorporating some amendments to address some of the concerns of Opposition parties.

An ordinance remains valid for six months. But a bill has to replace the ordinance within 42 days of the parliamentary session which takes place immediately after its promulgation.

The law minister introduced a new bill on December 17 to replace the ordinance.

A statutory resolution was scheduled to be adopted by the Lok Sabha on Thursday disapproving the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Ordinance 2018. On Kharge's request, Lok Sabha Speaker also deferred the adoption of the statutory resolution.