Triple Talaq Bill not to be taken for discussion in Rajya Sabha

New Delhi, Aug 10 The contentious Triple Talaq Bill which criminalises the practice of instant "talaq" couldn't be taken up for discussion and passage on the last day of Monsoon session today, owing to lack of consensus among political parties on the issue.

The Congress-drove Opposition has been requesting that the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill 2017 be sent to a Select Committee for assist examination.

The BJP-drove government, which does not have a majority in the Upper House, had also made efforts to get the bill cleared in the Budget Session too.

Today, when the Rajya Sabha reconvened at 2:30 PM after two adjournments in the pre-lunch session, Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu said he has chosen that the bills "on which there is a type of wide agreement" will be taken up for discussion and passage later in the day.

Naidu also cleared up that the Triple Talaq Bill won't be taken up today as a consensus has not yet been advanced on the issue.

The Union Cabinet had yesterday cleared a few changes to the draft Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, 2017 bill, including adding a safeguard arrangement to it.

The amendments came after the Supreme Court on August 22 a year ago had struck down 'triple talaq', calling unlawful.

The Lok Sabha had passed the Bill in December. In any case, changes to the draft enactment, once cleared by the Rajya Sabha, will again be sent to the Lower House for entry.

The Rajya Sabha was adjourned twice within minutes during the pre-lunch session today in the midst of challenge by Congress members over their interest for a JPC test into the alleged scam in the Rafale jet deal.