Minimum age of marriage of girls will be increased from 18 to 21 years, proposal passed from cabinet
There is a plan to increase the age of marriage of daughters from 18 to 21 years. According to sources, the cabinet has approved the proposal. For this, the government will amend the existing laws. Prime Minister Narendra Modi mentioned this in his address from Red Fort on 15 August 2020. He had said that to save daughters from malnutrition, it is necessary that they get married at the right time.
According to the current law, the minimum age of marriage for men in the country is 21 and for women at 18. Now the government will amend the Child Marriage Prohibition Act, Special Marriage Act and Hindu Marriage Act. It was recommended by the task force headed by Jaya Jaitley in NITI Aayog.
Dr VK Paul, a member of NITI Aayog, was also a member of this task force. Apart from these, Secretary of Health and Family Welfare, Women and Child Development, Higher Education, School Education and Literacy Mission and Bill Department of Ministry of Justice and Law were members of the Task Force.
The task force was constituted in June last year and submitted its report only in December last year. The task force said that at the time of giving birth to the first child, the age of the daughters should be 21 years. Delay in marriage has a positive impact on the economic, social and health of families, women, children and society.
What is the age according to the law?
According to the Indian Christian Marriage Act 1872, the Parsi Marriage and Divorce Act 1936, the Special Marriage Act 1954, and the Hindu Marriage Act 1955, the boy must be 21 years of age and the girl 18 years to marry. No change or exemption has been given in this according to religion. At present, the Child Marriage Prohibition Act 2006 is in force. According to which marriage before 21 and 18 will be considered as child marriage. Doing so and getting it done can be punishable with imprisonment of up to two years and a fine of up to one lakh.
What did PM Modi say on 15 August 2020?
While addressing the country on August 15 last year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said that the government is reviewing the age of marriage of girls. He said that a committee has been formed for what should be the right age of marriage of girls, as soon as its report comes, a proper decision will be taken regarding the age of marriage of daughters. Now the government is considering increasing this limit for girls to 21 years. A 10-member task force has been constituted under the chairmanship of MP Jaya Jaitley, which will give its suggestions on this soon.
