Staff Reporter
The Prohibition of Child Marriage (Amendment) Bill 2021 which seeks to enhance the legal minimum age of marriage of a girl from 18 to 21 across all religion was introduced in the Lok Sabha today amid protest by opposition members.
After the introduction of the Bill it was sent to the Standing Committee of the parliament for further discussion and scrutiny.
Introducing the Bill in the House the Women and Child Development Smriti Zubin Irani said the legislation will provide the right of equality to women across all religions and castes in marriages.
Mrs. Irani said the introduction of the Bill is historical and it reflects the strong resolution of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi that discrimination against women will not brook at any cost.
The Minister said the Bill is essential for the protection of self respect of women and an aberration is being corrected in after the 75 years of the Independence.
She explained that for the first time in the history of the country we are going to provide equal rights to men and women to decide their marriage.
The Minister said the Bill will amend the provisions of Indian Christian Marriage Act 1872, Parsi Marriage and Divorce Act 1936, Muslim Personal Law Shariat Application Act 1937, Special Marriage Act 1954 , Hindu Marriage Act 1955 and Foreign Marriage Act 1969 in relation to the age of parties to the marriage.
She said the Bill ensures uniformity in the age of marriage of girls across all religions overriding any custom and law which seeks to discriminate against women.
Mrs. Irani said that the Supreme Court has said in its 2010 verdict that marriage act should be secular in nature and must ensure equal rights to women in marriages across all religions, caste and communities.
The minister further said that it will save precious lives of 10 percent of married girls of age of 15 to 18 years due to miscarriage.
She also said that the enhancement of the age of marriage is inevitable now as during the period of 2015-20 in the country more than 20 lakh child marriages have been stopped.
The members of Congress, DMK, NCP, TMC, AIMIM, RSP, IUML, Shiv Sena and BJD opposed the introduction of the Bill. The Opposition members said that the Bill has far reaching consequences and they alleged that it has been brought in haste without discussing stakeholders and minority people.