Islamic Instant Divorce Punishable: Indian parliament outlaws Muslim practice

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Up next is Asia Focus. India's parliament has approved a bill outlawing instant divorce among Muslims. The practice allows a Muslim man to immediately divorce his wife by saying the Arabic word for divorce three times. This can be done verbally or in writing, and sometimes even via text messages. Our Ravinder Bawa has the story.

India's parliament has cleared a bill to end the Muslim practice of instant divorce. The upper house has criminalized the practice with punishment up to three years.

RAVI SHANKAR PRASAD MINISTER OF LAW "This is a historic day -- injustice was going on with Muslim women, and now both the houses of the Indian parliament have given them justice. I am satisfied with the fact that this is the beginning of a changing India."

The opposition had blocked the bill for more than a year, as the ruling party lacked majority support in the upper house. A split in the opposition ranks helped the government cross the line.

KAPIL SIBAL LEADER, CONGRESS "We were opposing (the bill) and wanted the matter to go to a select committee and we had moved some amendments. However, the ruling party did not approve of it."

Although opposition parties opposed the bill thousands of Muslim women are rejoicing.

This victim of triple talaq, who refuses to be identified, says she has been waiting for the law for a long time. Within six months of marriage, she was divorced by her husband during a phone call. Her two-year-old son, who was born after the divorce, has never met his father. She says the new law has empowered her to seek justice for herself and her son.

VICTIM OF TRIPLE TALAQ "I feel angry. I want justice and now with the help of this new law, my husband will be punished for what he did to me and I will get some help to make my son's future better."

Balaji Srinivasan, a lawyer, says that this law will put an end to a lot of abhorrent practices like marriage which happens for organ trade or sex trade.

BALAJI SRINIVASAN LAWYER "All these practices will come to an end. This will give a status to the woman which she ought to enjoy under the constitution."

But the critics of the new law believe that it was unusually to criminalize divorce. The law will be implemented once the President signs the document. Ravinder Bawa, Delhi.