The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, 2017, which seeks to criminalise the practise of instant triple talaq is scheduled to be introduced in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday.
The Bill, which was initially scheduled to be tabled today, will be introduced by Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad in the upper house.
The Bill which also aims at awarding a three-year jail term to husbands practising triple talaq was earlier cleared by the Lok Sabha.
Opposition's support doubtful
When the Bill was in the Lok Sabha, most of the leading parties in the Opposition, including Congress, had voted in its favour. Though a few of the leaders belonging to the opposition parties voted in favour of the bill they also gave a few warning.
According to Business Standard, the Centre described the voting as "historic" and even said that there is no doubt that the Bill will be passed in Rajya Sabha as well.
If the Bill is cleared in the upper house as well, it will be forwarded to President Ram Nath Kovind for signing it into a law.
However, owing to the lack of a majority of the government in the Rajya Sabha, there are chances that the Bill may be impeded or blocked. The Bill may be stalled owing to Congress' objections to a few clauses like imprisonment and maintenance. Congress may even insist on sending the Bill to a standing committee or panel to remove the clauses in question.
BJP keep hopes high
Meanwhile, the BJP has kept their hopes high on the passing of the Bill.
"I have complete conviction that Congress will support the Bill the same way it did in Lok Sabha, or else the minority women will not spare them," Union Minister Giriraj Singh told ANI on Monday.
Union Minister Narendra Singh Tomar also has the same opinion. "I believe all our office-bearers will talk to all parties, and all parties will understand the problem faced by our aggrieved sisters. This bill, I believe, will be passed in the Rajya Sabha," said Tomar.
Economic Times' sources in the government have said that Treasury Benches will try its best to get the Bill discussed and put to vote on Tuesday itself. The BJP has also issued a whip to its MPs in order to ensure maximum strength at the Parliament.
