The Winter Session of the Parliament ended on Friday with no end to the Triple Talaq Bill deadlock. The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill seeks to outlaw talaq-e-biddat or instant triple talaq and punish offenders with a jail term.
The Opposition has stuck to its demand that the Bill be referred to a select committee, while the government has accused parties of “double standards” as they supported it in the lower House. Sources told The Indian Express that Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad and Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Vijay Goel met Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad three-four days ago, seeking Congress support for the passage of the Bill that had sailed through Lok Sabha on December 28.
However, the ruling coalition did not accept Congress’ proposal seeking financial assistance from the government to support Muslim women whose husbands are in jail for pronouncing instant triple talaq. Meanwhile, the Congress issued a three-line whip asking all its members to be present in Rajya Sabha today.
Parliament LIVE updates:
1.00 pm: Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu reads out a statement on the House’s functioning. Nine government bills passed in the Rajya Sabha this session.
12.22 pm: Lok Sabha adjourned sine die.
12.18 pm: Prime Minister Narendra Modi attends Lok Sabha proceedings.
12.12 pm: Ram Vilas Paswan rises to withdraw the The Consumer Protection Bill, 2015. The Consumer Protection Bill and The New Delhi International Arbitration Centre Bill introduced.
12.02 pm: Question Hour ends in Lok Sabha and papers are now being laid on the table.
In Rajya Sabha, zero hour ends. Question Hour begins.
11.55 am: Questions being raised in the Rajya Sabha now. MP Pradeep Kumar Balmuchu raises the issue of fake surrender and fake encounter in Jharkhand.
11.50 am: “Arun Jaitley, finance minister and leader of the house, has told the Rajya Sabha that the Supreme Court has directed the government to legislate on the (triple talaq) issue within six months. The court’s deadline will expire on February 22. The Parliament is thus bound to enact law within that period, he added. At best, this is a complete misunderstanding of the Supreme Court judgment,” write Sanjay R Hegde and Pranjal Kishore.
11.47 am: In case you are just joining us, today is the last day of the Winter Session which started on December 15. All eyes are on the Triple Talaq Bill which was cleared by a voice vote in Lok Sabha last week and is currently stuck in the Rajya Sabha. Apart from this, the other Bills likely to be taken up for consideration are The Goods and Services Tax(Compensation to States) Amendment Bill and The Constitution (123rd Amendment) Bill.
11.44 am: Parliamentarians in Lok Sabha speak on complaints against Private companies.
11.25 am: Finance Minister Arun Jaitley answered questions on Farm Loan waiver during zero hour in Lok Sabha.
11.20 am: Rajya Sabha MPs bid farewell to retiring members — Janardan Dwivedi, Parvez Hashmi and Karan Singh. Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad and Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad convey their best wishes to the members.
11.18 am: BJP issues whip asking all its MPs to remain present in both the houses of Parliament, today
11.10 am: Parliament Business today
Lok Sabha
Bill to be withdrawn:
The Consumer Protection Bill, 2015.
Bills to be introduced:
The Consumer Protection Bill
The New Delhi International Arbitration Centre Bill
Consideration of Rajya Sabha
The Constitution (123rd Amendment) Bill.
Bills for consideration and passing:
The Dentists (Amendment) Bill
The National Council for Teacher Education (Amendment) Bill
The Representation of the People(Amendment) Bill
Private Members’ Business.
Rajya Sabha
Private Members’ Business.
Bills for consideration and return:
The Goods and Services Tax(Compensation to States) Amendment Bill
Bills for consideration and passing:
The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill