Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led central government on September 19 cleared the promulgation of the Triple Talaq ordinance which criminalizes the practice of verbal divorce among Muslim men. The ordinance will make instant triple talaq a punishable offence with a three-year jail term.

The move comes in wake of government’s failure to push the triple talaq bill or — The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, 2017 — in the Rajya Sabha during the recent monsoon session owing to lack of consensus among political parties in the House.

The Ordinance will now be sent to President Ram Nath Kovind for his signature which will finally result in the poromulgation of the ordinance into a law.

The ordinance dilutes contentious provisions the first change allows only a woman, or a close relative, to file a police case against her husband for instant triple talaq and the second amendment allows her to drop the case if the husband comes around later and they arrive at a compromise.

The third amendment makes the offence of instant triple talaq “compoundable” which means that the magistrate can use his powers to settle the dispute between a husband and his wife.

While addressing the media Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said, “There was a compelling necessity to come with an ordinance on #TripleTalaq.”

He added, “I have said this before, the issue of triple talaq has nothing to do with faith, mode of worship or religion. It is a pure issue of gender justice, gender dignity and gender equality.”

However, the Congress criticized BJP government’s move and party spokersperson Randeep Surjewala said, “Modi government not making this an issue for justice for Muslim women, but making this into a political issue.”