Citizenship Amendment and Triple Talaq Bills to lapse if not passed by Rajya Sabha today

Both the  Bills have been  in the centre of a political storm across the country inviting fierce opposition from different sections but come handy for the ruling National Democratic Alliance to suit its purpose.

Introduced on July 19 in the Lok Sabha, the Citizenship Amendment Bill 2016 seeks to allow illegal migrants from certain minority communities in Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan eligible for Indian citizenship. In other words, it amends the Citizenship Act of 1955.

The Citizenship Amendment Bill seeks to allow illegal migrants belonging to the Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi or Christian religious communities coming from Afghanistan, Bangladesh or Pakistan to not be imprisoned or deported.

It also appeals for the minimum years of residency in India to apply for citizenship to be lessened from at least 11 to six years for such migrants.

The Bill, however, does not extend to illegal Muslim migrants. It also does not talk about other minority communities in the three neighbouring countries.

The Citizenship Amendment Bill has not been sitting well with the Assamese as it contradicts the Assam Accord of 1985, which clearly states that illegal migrants heading in from Bangladesh after March 25, 1971, would be deported.

Lok Sabha in January passed the contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2019 but it is yet to be cleared in the Upper House where the Opposition parties outnumber NDA.

The triple talaq bill, on the other hand,  makes the pronouncement of talaq-e-biddat "void and illegal." According to clause 3 of the Bill, "Any pronouncement of talaq by a person upon his wife, by words, either spoken or written or in electronic form or in any other manner whatsoever, shall be void and illegal."Most of the Opposition parties, including the Congress, are against the Bill. Congress has even vowed to abolish the Bill once it comes to power.