Talks over Marriage Age Bill to be postponed as parliamentary panel members are unwell

The Standing Committee for Education, Women, Children, Youth, and Sports will not discuss the 'Prohibition of Child Marriage (Amendment) Bill 2021' that will raise the age of marriage for girls from 18 to 21 years on Wednesday, said Committee chairman Vinay Sahastrabuddh. 

According to the media reports, Sahastrabuddhe said the committee will discuss Sports Ministry's Anti-Doping Bill and not Child Marriage, as many members of the Jaya Jaitley Committee are not well and cannot attend the meeting. Few members of the Parliament, including Sushmita Deb and Priyanka Chaturvedi, had opposed the committee's formation, which includes only one woman MP in Deb.

Chairman Sahasrabuddhe urged the two MPs not to doubt the formed committee's intentions, stating the committee would thoroughly examine the bill and invite people and stakeholders from across the platform, including women MPs and ministers from Women and Child Development. 

Also Read: 1 woman MP part of 31-member panel to examine raise legal age of marriage bill

The 'Prohibition of Child Marriage (Amendment) Bill, 2021' suggests revising the 'Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006 (PCMA)' for making the age of marriage 21 for both females and males; presently, it is 21 years for males and 18 years for females. Also, modifying the related laws, i.e. 'the Indian Christian Marriage Act, 1872'; 'the Parsi Marriage and Divorce Act, 1936'; 'the Muslim Personal Law (Shariat) Application Act, 1937'; 'the Special Marriage Act, 1954'; 'the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955'; and 'the Foreign Marriage Act, 1969', including 'the Hindu Minority and Guardianship Act, 1956'; and 'Hindu Adoptions and Maintenance Act, 1956'.

Also Read: Smriti Irani speaks on new marriage bill, says 'it's a decisive step; as a democracy, we are 75 years late'

Gender equality is guaranteed by the Directive Principles of State Policy (particularly the Right to Equality and the Right Against Exploitation) under the Indian Constitution. The proposed legislation is a significant step toward the government's commitment to this goal, as it will put women on an equal footing with men.
 

• Child Marriage
• Gender equality
• Jaya Jaitley Committee
• Vinay Sahastrabuddh
• Women and Child Development