Triple Talaq - Numbers Win The Battle Of The Bills

Opposition raises question of propriety as govt pushes through clutch of key bills in Parliament

- Preetha Nair

In parliamentary democracy, numbers are vital—to win elections, to form the government, to make laws. More is always better. As opposition parties in India have found out over the past few days with the BJP-led NDA government pushing through crucial bills in Parliament on the back of its brute strength in the Lok Sabha and careful maneuvering in the Rajya Sabha, where it does not have the majority.

The Upper House passed on Tuesday the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill—thereby banning triple talaq, or talaq-e-biddat, practised by Muslim men that allows husbands to instantly divirce his wife by uttering talaq thrice continuously. Now, the law makes Muslim men liable for a jail term of three years for instant divorce. The RS approval came after the Lower House rejected the Opposition’s demand for sending the bill for scrutiny to a parliamentary panel.

The first session of the 17th Lok Sabha—the second term of Prime Minister Narendra Modi—will go down in the history for many reasons. From introducing the highest number of legislative bills in the first session by any government in the past 15 years (30 bills) to holding the longest number of sessions, Modi 2.0 government has a long list to show. The triple talaq bill was among 15 bills passed by Parliament in the budget session.

Another key bill passed by Parliament is one with amendments to the Right to Information Act. Moreover, some crucial bills like the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Amendment Bill 2019, National Medical Commission Bill 2019 and the Aadhaar and Other Laws (Amendment) Bill are awaiting RS nod after crossing the hurdle in the Lok Sabha in this session.

Opposition parties and parliamentary experts say the rush to pass the bills is not a “good sign” in a democracy.