On agenda: Legislation to outlaw instant talaq

During the Winter Session of the Parliament, the Centre plans to bring in a legislation to outlaw instantaneous triple talaq. Sources said that despite the Supreme Court (SC) striking down the practice, under which a Muslim man can annul a marriage just by uttering the word 'talaq' thrice, such cases have continued to surface.

An interministerial committee will be formed to frame a law to bring in the changes, government sources said. The Women and Child Development Ministry, which drafted the Centre's affidavit along with interministerial consultations with the PMO, finance minister Arun Jaitley, home minister Rajnath Singh, and law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, however, said they have not been approached to be a part of the inter-ministerial committee.

"We have not yet received any official intimation, but will be glad to give our inputs, if and when needed," a source in the ministry said.

A five-member SC bench had struck down the practice of triple talaq in August this year. While three of the judges declared the practice unconstitutional, two judges wanted the practice banned for six months, till the government came up with a new legislation. Despite the order, cases of triple talaq keep surfacing. For instance, the recent case of a person working with a leading educational institution, who divorced his wife through WhatsApp and SMS. The woman then approached the police for redressal.

"There may be many such unreported instances of triple talaq happening in the country. Even the police are helpless as no action can be taken against the man," a government source said.