In a bid to protect the rights of married Muslim women, the Union Cabinet approved the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, making the practice of triple talaq illegal on Wednesday. “This Bill will be brought in the coming session of Parliament,” said Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting Prakash Javadekar.
The Bill has made the concept of triple talaq an offence punishable with imprisonment of three years and a fine. It also provides for payment of subsistence allowance to married Muslim women and dependent children.
The Bill proposes to make the offence cognizable, if information relating to the offence is reported to the police by the married Muslim woman upon which the talaq is pronounced or any person related to her by blood or marriage. The Bill empowers the woman by providing her a chance for hearing before the accused is released on bail.
The Cabinet approved the Jammu and Kashmir Reservation (Amendment) Bill, 2019, a move that is claimed to go a long way in providing relief to persons in J&K living in areas adjoining the international border. They can now avail reservation in direct recruitment, promotion, and admission in different professional courses. The Bill brings persons residing in the areas adjoining International Border within the ambit of reservation at par with persons living in areas adjoining Actual Line of Control).
Javadekar said that these districts include Jammu, Sabha and Kathua covering 435 villages and an estimated population of 3.5 lakh. “The Bill for the same will be moved in the coming session,” he said.
Javadekar also said that the Governor rule in J&K has been extended for another six months. The current Governor rule in the State was due to lapse on July 2.
Under the Aadhaar and Other laws (Amendment) Bill, 2019 no person will be compelled to provide proof of possession of Aadhaar number or undergo authentication for the purpose of establishing identity unless it is mandated under law. It also provides mechanisms to conceal actual Aadhaar number by provision of alternative virtual identity or children on attaining age of 18 to do away with their Aadhaar number.
The Union Cabinet has given a nod to introduce The Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorised Occupants) Amendment Bill 2019, which will facilitate speedy eviction of unauthorised occupants from government residences so re-allotment to people on waitlist can happen rapidly .
International arbitration
New Delhi International Arbitration Centre Bill 2019 will enable setting up an independent, autonomous body for institutional arbitration and to acquire and transfer undertakings of International Centre for Alternative Dispute Resolution (ICADR) to the newly set-up centre in New Delhi.