Marriage age Bill referred to Parliamentary panel for scrutiny

New Delhi, December 21

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A Bill that seeks to fix 21 years as the uniform age of marriage for women and men was introduced in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday with Union Minister Smriti Irani terming it a “decisive step” in the country’s history.

Irani, Women and Child Development Minister, after introducing the Prohibition of Child Marriage (Amendment) Bill, 2021, urged the Chair to refer it to a parliamentary standing committee.

The Bill was opposed by some members who contended that it infringed upon several personal laws and was in violation of fundamental rights. The Bill has been referred to a parliamentary panel for greater scrutiny. The Bill seeks to increase the legal age for women to marry to 21 years. It seeks to amend seven personal laws — Indian Christian Marriage Act; Parsi Marriage and Divorce Act; Muslim Personal Law (Shariat) Application Act; Special Marriage Act; Hindu Marriage Act; and Foreign Marriage Act. — TNS