With Parliament’s Winter Session to begin a day after Gujarat Assembly elections concludes, the Narendra Modi’s government, among other Bills, is likely to introduce legislation to ban instant ‘Triple Talaq’, media reports said.

The Islamic ‘divorce’ practice of instant Triple Talaq (talaq-ul-biddat) had been declared “unislamic, arbitrary and unconstitutional” by Supreme Court earlier this year.

Besides, the proposed Bill banning instant Triple Talaq, the Centre is likely to re-introduce a Bill for a constitutional status for the National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC). The Opposition had successfully moved three crucial amendments in the Rajya Sabha during the monsoon session regarding the NCBC and had forced the government to withdraw the Bill it had already got cleared from the Lok Sabha.

The Shiv Sena on Friday said if the government decided to introduce a legislation for a ban on ‘Triple Talaq’ it would permanently free Muslim women.

“It would a good step if the Union government introduces a bill on triple talaq as it would permanently free Muslim women. The tradition should be banned completely and its exercise should considered as a crime,” an editorial in Sena mouthpiece ‘Saamana’ said.

“Earlier, the voice of Shah Bano was suppressed. But through the case of Shayara Bano, it would be the dawn of Muslim women’s freedom,” the party claimed.

Three Bills are likely to be taken up in the coming Winter session to replace as many ordinances may include: Goods & Services Tax (Compensation to States) Ordinance, 2017; the Insolvency & Bankruptcy Code (Amendment) Ordinance, 2017 and the Indian Forest (Amendment) Ordinance, 2017.

Parliament will also discuss the Supplementary Demands for Grants in this Winter Session.

Earlier on Friday, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar announced that the Winter session will take place for a total of 14 days from 15 December, 2017 to 5 January, 2018.

“The Winter Session of Parliament will be held between December 15 to January 5. It will have 14 sittings,” Kumar told media.

He also said that Parliament will remain closed on December 25 and 26 for Christmas.

The Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs, chaired by Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, had met on November 22 to decide on the dates for the session.

Deferring Parliament session dates is not a rare practice. According to sources,

There are several instances, where the session dates were changed so that they did not overlap with elections. In 2008, under the UPA I the Parliament session was divided in two parts as Assembly elections was underway in five states. Also, 2011 Budget Session during the UPA II tenure was delayed, when elections were underway in five states.

(With agency inputs)