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Modi govt drafts Bill proposing 3 year jail term for husbands in instant triple talaq cases

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Modi govt drafts Bill proposing 3 year jail term for husbands in instant triple talaq cases

Bill also provides for a subsistence allowance of a harassed Muslim woman and her dependent children along with custodial rights of minor children

In a move that could provide a strong deterrent to the obnoxious practice of instant triple talaq in a section of the Muslim community, the Centre is ready with a draft Bill that proposes a three year jail term for husbands who divorce their wives through Talaq-ul-Biddat – uttering the word talaq three times in one go.

Over three months after a majority verdict by a five-judge Bench of the Supreme Court decried Talaq-ul-Biddat to be “unislamic, arbitrary and unconstitutional”, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government is ready with a draft law that would ban instant triple talaq.

The Bill, which proposes a three year jail term and monetary fine for Muslim husbands who divorce their wives by merely uttering talaq thrice in a single stroke – often through Whatsapp or e-mail – is likely to be tabled for passage in the upcoming winter session of Parliament that will be convened from December 15.

The draft Bill, according to media reports, proposes to make instant triple talaq a “cognizable and non-bailable” offence, while it also proposes a slew of other measures like a subsistence allowance and custodial rights of minor children for the wronged Muslim woman in a marriage.

The Bill, which could replace the controversial Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Divorce) Act, 1986, once it is passed by Parliament has been drafted by a Group of Ministers (GoM) that was constituted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the aftermath of the Supreme Court’s historic verdict that banned instant triple talaq in August. The GoM included Union ministers Rajnath Singh, Sushma Swaraj, Arun Jaitley and Ravi Shankar Prasad. The GoM was set up after two members of the Supreme Court Bench – then Chief Justice JS Khehar and Justice S. Abdul Nazeer – said in their minority verdict that the issue of banning instant triple talaq should be dealt through legislation and not by the judiciary.

The draft law, titled Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Act, according to a report in the Indian Express, allows a Muslim woman who has been given instant triple talaq to move court, seeking “subsistence allowance” for herself and dependent children, as well as custody of minor children.

These rights were not adequately dealt with in the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Divorce) Act, 1986 which was drafted by the Congress government under then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and passed by Parliament largely as a means to overturn the Supreme Court verdict in the Shah Bano case. The 1986 Act had largely dealt with the issue of providing maintenance to the Muslim woman who has been divorced through Talaq-ul-Biddat and had not gone into other equally important issues such as provision for a ‘subsistence allowance’ for her children or her custodial rights of minor children.

The proposed law, sources privy to the draft said, expressly bans instant triple talaq in “oral, written, electronic or any other form” and states that any declaration of Talaq-ul-Biddat by a Muslim man shall be “illegal and void”.

It may be recalled that the All India Muslim Personal Law Board while opposing judicial intervention in the instant triple talaq case had expressed that it was open to a ban on Talaq-ul-Biddat being imposed through an Act of Parliament.

The Bill, once enacted into a law by Parliament, will apply to all Indian states with the exception of the Muslim-majority Jammu and Kashmir since the northern state enjoys autonomy under the Indian Constitution on drafting its own laws.

According to media reports, 244 cases of triple talaq — 177 before the Supreme Court’s verdict of August 22 and 67 ever since — have been reported from across the country this year, with Uttar Pradesh leading the list in Talaq-ul-Biddat cases. These, however, are figures of instant triple talaq cases that are reported and the actual number of such incidents could actually be much higher.

While the merits of banning the practice of instant triple talaq through legislation cannot be denied, it is also important to note that if Prime Minister Modi’s government does succeed in having the law enacted – which it is expected to – there are obvious political and electoral benefits that the move would bring for the BJP.

Banning instant triple talaq has been a poll promise of the BJP for long and the party had raised the issue vociferously during the Uttar Pradesh assembly election campaign earlier this year in the hope that doing so would lead to incremental electoral support among Muslim women for its candidates. BJP leaders had, after the party’s stunning victory in Uttar Pradesh, claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s pitch for banning instant triple talaq had struck a chord with the Muslim women of the states, who had in turn voted for the BJP. While the truth behind the claim is hard to establish, it certainly makes for good political rhetoric for the BJP which otherwise has an anti-Muslim image.

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Union Budget 2026: What the middle class gains despite no income tax slab changes

Union Budget 2026 retains income tax slabs but offers indirect relief to the middle class through TCS cuts, simpler tax filing, cheaper medicines and higher job-creating expenditure.

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February 1, 2026

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Union Budget 2026: what the middle class gains despite no income tax slab changes

Union Budget 2026 may not have delivered direct income tax relief to salaried taxpayers, but the government has introduced several indirect measures aimed at easing financial pressure on middle-class households.

While tax slabs remain unchanged, the Budget outlines steps to simplify compliance, reduce taxes on overseas spending, lower the cost of essential medicines, and support job creation through higher public spending.

Income tax status quo continues

The government has retained the existing income tax framework for individuals. Annual income up to Rs 12 lakh continues to remain tax-free, and with the Rs 75,000 standard deduction, effective tax-free income rises to Rs 12.75 lakh.

No changes have been announced in income tax slabs, signalling policy continuity rather than immediate relief for salaried taxpayers.

Compliance relief and tax rationalisation measures

A key focus of Budget 2026 is reducing compliance burdens and improving the taxpayer experience.

The government has proposed a reduction in Tax Collected at Source (TCS) on overseas tour programme packages to 2%, down from the earlier rates of 5% and 20%. TCS under the Liberalised Remittance Scheme (LRS) for education and medical expenses has also been cut to 2% from 5%, providing relief to families sending money abroad for essential purposes.

To ease return filing pressure, timelines have been staggered. Individual taxpayers filing ITR-1 and ITR-2 can continue to file returns till July 31, while non-audit businesses and trusts will now get time till August 31.

Protection for small investors

The Budget proposes taxing all share buybacks as capital gains instead of dividends, a move aimed at protecting minority retail investors.

In another relief measure, interest awarded by Motor Accident Claims Tribunal (MACT) to individuals will be exempt from income tax, and the applicable TDS will be removed.

A single-window system will also be introduced for submitting Form 15G and Form 15H through depositories for TDS on dividends and interest, simplifying compliance for senior citizens and small savers.

Cheaper medicines and essential products

Healthcare costs may ease slightly as the government has announced duty exemptions on about 17 cancer medicines. Personal imports of medicines for seven rare diseases will also be allowed duty-free.

In addition, customs duty relief has been extended to critical components used in the manufacture of microwave ovens, television equipment, leather goods and footwear, which could help moderate consumer prices.

Job creation through higher spending

The government has raised capital expenditure to over Rs 12 lakh crore, with allocations for railways, tourism, logistics and technology sectors. These investments are expected to support employment generation and long-term economic activity, indirectly benefiting middle-class households.

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Budget 2026 balances high capex and growth, says PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Union Budget 2026 strikes a balance between high capital expenditure and strong growth while reinforcing reforms and fiscal discipline.

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February 1, 2026

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said the Union Budget 2026 strikes a fine balance between high capital expenditure and sustained economic growth, calling it a roadmap for long-term national development.

Speaking after Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented her ninth consecutive Budget, the prime minister said the proposals reflect a vision of trust-based governance and a human-centric economic framework. He added that India is not just focused on being the fastest-growing economy but is working towards becoming the world’s third-largest economy.

PM Modi said the Budget also reinforces India’s strong global standing and will provide fresh momentum to the country’s reform agenda. According to him, the measures announced will energise what he described as India’s “reform express”.

The prime minister highlighted the Budget’s focus on promoting tourism in the northeastern region, noting that it would create new opportunities and support regional development.

On fiscal management, the finance minister retained the states’ share in the divisible pool of central taxes at 41 per cent. She announced that Rs 1.4 lakh crore has been provided to states as Finance Commission grants for 2026–27, in line with the recommendations of the commission.

The Finance Commission, chaired by Arvind Panagariya, had submitted its report to the President in November 2025 after consultations with states and Union Territories, several of which had sought a higher share.

Sitharaman pegged the fiscal deficit for 2026–27 at 4.3 per cent of GDP, lower than the revised estimate of 4.4 per cent for 2025–26. She also said the debt-to-GDP ratio is projected to decline to 55.6 per cent in 2026–27 from 56.1 per cent in the previous fiscal.

A gradual reduction in the debt burden will help free up resources for priority sectors by lowering interest outgo, the finance minister said.

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India to build seven high-speed rail corridors, Finance Minister announces

Union Budget 2026-27 unveiled seven high-speed rail corridors and a dedicated east-west freight corridor to boost sustainable transport and economic growth.

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February 1, 2026

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India to build seven high-speed rail corridors, Finance Minister announces

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, presenting the Union Budget 2026-27 in Parliament on Sunday, announced that India will develop seven high-speed rail corridors connecting key cities across the country.

These corridors, described as ‘growth connectors’, aim to promote environmentally sustainable passenger transport systems. The proposed high-speed rail links will connect:

  • Mumbai and Pune
  • Hyderabad and Pune
  • Hyderabad and Bengaluru
  • Hyderabad and Chennai
  • Chennai and Bengaluru
  • Delhi and Varanasi
  • Varanasi and Siliguri

In addition to passenger rail, Sitharaman announced a dedicated east-west freight corridor connecting Dankuni in the east with Surat in the west. This initiative, along with the operationalisation of 22 new national waterways over the next five years, is intended to enhance multimodal transport and reduce logistics costs.

“These initiatives will strengthen freight movement and support sustainable cargo transportation,” the Finance Minister said.

The Budget also emphasizes infrastructure development in cities with populations over five lakh (Tier II and Tier III), which have emerged as key growth centres. Sitharaman further proposed a public capital expenditure of Rs 12.2 lakh crore for the financial year 2026-27.

She outlined that the Union Budget is guided by three core responsibilities—accelerating economic growth, fulfilling aspirations, and ensuring equitable access to resources for families, communities, and regions.

Describing the plans as part of a broader reform agenda, she added, “The ‘Reform Express’ is on its way.”

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