New Delhi: President Ram Nath Kovind on Wednesday night signed the ordinance banning the practice of instant triple talaq, a senior Law Ministry functionary said.

The ordinance was cleared by the Union Cabinet on Wednesday morning.

Also read: Triple talaq now illegal: Modi government makes it punishable offence

The government has said the measure was necessary as the practice of talaq-e-biddat was continuing unabated despite the Supreme Court last year striking it down.

Under the ordinance, giving instant triple talaq is illegal and void, and will attract a jail term of three years for the husband.

Seeking to allay fears that the proposed law could be misused, the government has included certain safeguards in it such as adding a provision of bail for the accused before trial.

These amendments were cleared by the Cabinet on August 29.