Committee Recommendations for Raising the Marriage Age
Under Jaya Jaitly’s direction, the MWCD established a committee in 2020 to examine the viability of raising the marriage age and its potential effects on the health of women and children. The following suggestions were proposed:
- The lawful age for marriage of girl child to be increased to 21 years.
- Large-scale awareness campaigns on the rise in marriage are necessary to promote societal acceptance of the new rule.
- Requested the government expand females’ access to educational resources as well.
- It is advised that educational institutions provide sex education in addition to business and skill training.
- The committee stated that unless these recommendations are put into practice and women are given more influence, the law would not be successful.
Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006: Meaning, Bill, Advantages and Disadvantages
Under the Indian Majority Act 1875, a person who has not reached the age of eighteen is considered a minor. The age of marriage is set at eighteen for girls and twenty-one for boys in the Hindu Marriage Act 1955, the Parsi Marriage and Divorce Act of 1936, and the Christian Marriage Act of 1872. Child marriages, or unions between minors before the age of eighteen for girls and twenty-one for boys, were common in India. The legality of child marriages was unaffected by the Hindu Marriage Act of 1955 when it was drafted. There were only a few minor sanctions (15 days of simple jail or a fine of up to ₹1000); otherwise, many weddings would fall under the category of void or voidable marriages.
Key Takeaways
- The Prohibition of Child Marriage Act 2006, which replaced the earlier Child Marriage Restriction Act of 1929, was passed by the Indian government in order to ensure that child marriage is totally eradicated from society.
- The Act’s principal goal is to outlaw child marriage by solemnizing it. This Act contains measures that make it possible to outlaw child marriages, offer support to victims, and stiffen penalties for those who assist, encourage, or consummate such unions.
- The statute stipulates that a guy must be 21 years old to marry, and a girl must be 18 years old. Any marriage between individuals under these age limits will be regarded as a child marriage, which is prohibited, punishable by law, and an offense.
- After the child is rescued, the law offers them all kinds of support and assistance, including counseling, medical care, legal assistance, and rehabilitative assistance.
- Only the girl or boy who was less than eighteen when they were married may file a petition in court to annul the child marriage. If the kid is still a juvenile, a guardian and the Child Marriage Prohibition Officer (CMPO) may file the annulment petition on their behalf.
Table of Content
- Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006: Overview
- Prohibition of Child Marriage (Amendment) Bill, 2021
- Committee Recommendations for Raising the Marriage Age
- Concerns Raised over Committee Recommendations
- Critical Analysis of Marriage Age
- Advantages of Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006
- Disadvantages of Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006
- Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006- FAQs
Contact Us