Volume 9, April 2020 ISSN 2581-5504 “Triple Talaq Bill, 2019: A way to Patronize Muslim Women and Demolish Muslim Men” Nasimuddin Khan Amity Law School, Amity University, Chhattisgarh. ABSTRACT The status and subject of triple talaq in India has been a subject of debate and controversy. But now all these debates have been put to an end when triple talaq bill 2019 was passed. Through this bill, the triple talaq has now being criminalised and Muslim women have now access to protection of law from the practice of instant divorce. Supreme court declared triple talaq as unconstitutional. Islamic law allows changes and this change has been introduced by the Parliament by prohibiting the husband’s act of divorce which was abused by them. However, there are certain flaws in the bill which has negative impacts on men and women both. All these positive and negative aspects of the bill will be discussed in the research paper. This paper addresses the issue of Triple talaq bill, 2019, its merits and demerits. The paper provides an overview of Triple talaq bill and its impact on Muslim women and men. Moreover, the paper states the future effect on Muslim women. The paper deals with lacunas in the bill. The paper provides recommendations and suggestions for the bill to be more effective. Keywords: Muslim women, triple talaq bill, controversy. INTRODUCTION: Triple talaq which is also called as talaq-e-biddat was a form of Islamic divorce which has been used by Muslim men of hanafi schools of jurisprudence for dissolution in one sitting through triple pronouncement of the word talaq. It is an irrevocable and instant form of divorce which can be given in the oral, written or electronic form. There is no concept of triple talaq in Islam. It is prohibited form of talaq as no such form of talaq is being mentioned in Quran. A divorced woman cannot remarry the divorced husband after instant talaq unless she performs nikah halala. This form of talaq had a very bad effect on Muslim women. In large number of cases, divorced women received no maintenance and there is no option of reconciliation. Moreover, women were being harassed in many ways. For example, pregnant women are thrown out of house after pronouncing talaq three times in one sitting. All these injustice to women are now being put to an end after The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, 2019 or triple talaq bill was introduced in Lok Sabha and was passed by Rajya Sabha with 99 to 84. Once the bill gets assent of the President and after the notification by the government, the bill will replace previous triple talaq ordinance which was promulgated last in February, 2019. Triple talaq bill makes instant form of triple talaq a crime with penalty of three years imprisonment. It also makes such www.penacclaims.com Page 1 Volume 9, April 2020 ISSN 2581-5504 act as a cognizable and non- bailable offence. The bill was introduced for achieving gender equality and providing justice to the Muslim women. There was an urgent need that the act of triple talaq must be stopped by any immediate action. This bill gave a perfect solution for preventing such act to happen. However, this bill has some flaws in it which would be elaborated in the paper. SALIENT FEATURES OF TRIPLE TALAQ BILL: 1.) Objective: The main aim was to protect rights of married Muslim women and ensure gender justice and equality to Muslim women by declaring practice of triple talaq as illegal and void. This means that it is not enforceable in law and thereby preventing the divorce by practice of talaq-e-biddat by their husband. 2.) Penalty for the offence of triple talaq: The bill makes pronouncement of triple talaq a cognizable offence and a penalty has been decided upto three years of imprisonment with fine. (A cognizable offence is one which accused person can be arrested without warrant which is issued by the court). The offence will be cognizable only when information regarding the offence is given by : (i) the married woman ( against whom talaq or divorce has been declared) or (ii) any other person related to her by marriage or blood. The bill also provides that bail may be granted by the Magistrate to the accused. The bail can be granted only after woman is being heard (against whom talaq has been given), and if the judicial magistrate is satisfied that there was sufficient and reasonable grounds for granting bill. Magistrate has power to compound the offence upon the request of the woman against whom triple talaq is declared. (Compounding refers to the process where both parties agree to stop legal proceeding, and settle the dispute. The terms and conditions of compounding of the offence of talaq will be determined by the Magistrate. 3.) Allowance: A Muslim Woman against whom the triple talaq has been pronounced, is entitled to get allowance from her husband for herself and for her children who are dependent upon her husband. Magistrate will determine the amount of allowance for which husband is liable. 4.) Custody: A Muslim woman against whom such talaq has been pronounced has a right to seek custody of her minor children and the manner of such custody will be determined by the Magistrate. 5.) Scope for reconciliation: This bill provides a scope for reconciliation without undergoing the procedure of nikah halala if both husband agree to stop legal proceeding and settle the issue. (Nikah halala is the practice in which woman has to marry another man and consummate the marriage and get a divorce afterwards. Only after this she can be eligible to remarry her former husband. www.penacclaims.com Page 2 Volume 9, April 2020 ISSN 2581-5504 SUPREME COURT ON TRIPLE TALAQ: The Supreme Court examined the case of Shayara Bano v. Union of India and others1 in 2017 and declared the practice of triple talaq or instant talaq to be unconstitutional. The judgement was given with three different opinions. Every opinion was different from each other. Facts of case: Shayara bano, a muslim woman survivor of dowry harassment and domestic violence had been unilaterally divorced through Instant triple talaq. She instituted the petition before supreme court seeking a declaration that practice of instant talaq, nikah halala and polygamy in muslim personal law were unconstitutional and illegal and in violation of Article 142 (equality before law), 153 (non-discrimination), 214 (right to life with dignity) and 25 (right to freedom of conscience and religion)5 of the constitution of India. The petition was supported by union of India. Jamait- Ulema-e-hind and All India Muslim Personal law Board argued that the Supreme Court did not have jurisdiction to entertain a constitutional challenge to Muslim personal law and such matter was in the domain of 1 (2017) 9 SCC 1. 2 14. Equality before law The State shall not deny to any person equality before the law or the equal protection of the laws within the territory of India Prohibition of discrimination on grounds of religion, race, caste, sex or place of birth 3 15. Prohibition of discrimination on grounds of religion, race, caste, sex or place of birth (1) The State shall not discriminate against any citizen on grounds only of religion, race, caste, sex, place of birth or any of them (2) No citizen shall, on grounds only of religion, race, caste, sex, place of birth or any of them, be subject to any disability, liability, restriction or condition with regard to (a) access to shops, public restaurants, hotels and palaces of public entertainment; or (b) the use of wells, tanks, bathing ghats, roads and places of public resort maintained wholly or partly out of State funds or dedicated to the use of the general public (3) Nothing in this article shall prevent the State from making any special provision for women and children (4) Nothing in this article or in clause ( 2 ) of Article 29 shall prevent the State from making any special provision for the advancement of any socially and educationally backward classes of citizens or for the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes 4 21. Protection of life and personal liberty No person shall be deprived of his life or personal liberty except according to procedure established by law 5 25. Freedom of conscience and free profession, practice and propagation of religion (1) Subject to public order, morality and health and to the other provisions of this Part, all persons are equally entitled to freedom of conscience and the right freely to profess, practise and propagate religion (2) Nothing in this article shall affect the operation of any existing law or prevent the State from making any law (a) regulating or restricting any economic, financial, political or other secular activity which may be associated with religious practice; (b) providing for social welfare and reform or the throwing open of Hindu religious institutions of a public character to all classes and sections of Hindus Explanation I The wearing and carrying of kirpans shall be deemed to be included in the profession of the Sikh religion Explanation II In sub clause (b) of clause reference to Hindus shall be construed as including a reference to persons professing the Sikh, Jaina or Buddhist religion, and the reference to Hindu religious institutions shall be construed accordingly www.penacclaims.com Page 3 Volume 9, April 2020 ISSN 2581-5504 Parliament. Bhartiya Muslim mahila andolan and majlis, organisation argued that in view of previous judgement of the court, the bench need not consider constitutional validity of instant triple talaq but court should rather emphasise the legal remedies.