Talks On Marriage Age Bill Deferred As Parliamentary Panel Members Unwell

The Standing Committee for Education, Women, Children, Youth and Sports were going to meet and discuss the Prohibition of Child Marriage (Amendment) Bill 2021 on January 19, today. But the plan has been cancelled as members of the Jaya Jaitley Committee are "unwell." Although, they will be discussing the National Anti-Doping Bill 2021.

The cancellation of discussion on the marriage age bill was reported by the news agency, ANI. The Committee chairman Vinay Sahastrabuddhe, in an interview, said, "We will discuss Sports Ministry's Anti-Doping Bill and not Child Marriage as members of Jaya Jaitley Committee are unwell and can't come to depose before the panel today."

The marriage age bill has created ripples on whether raising the legal age of marriage from 18 years to 21 years, same as men's will be effective on the ground to reduce the increasing number of child marriages in the country.

Suggested Reading: Just One Woman On The Panel Examining Bill To Raise Legal Age Of Marriage

The Jaya Jaitley Committee has been opposed by members of parliament like Sushmita Deb and Priyanka Chaturvedi for having only one woman on board for deciding a bill that impacts the lives of thousands of women in India. Deb is the only woman on the committee.

Sahastrabuddhe, in a comment, has had asked the two women MPs to not worry about the representation issue as the committee members will examine the bill thoroughly and invite stakeholders across the platforms including women MPs and the Minister of Women and Child Development if required.

Talks On Marriage Age Bill Deferred As Parliamentary Panel Members Unwell

The Bill suggests amendment of seven personal laws, the Prohibition of Christian Marriage Act, 2006; Parsi Marriage and Divorce Act of 1936, Muslim Personal Law (Shariat) Application Act of 1937, Special Marriage Act of 1954, Hindu Marriage Act of 1955 and Foreign Marriage Act of 1969.

Even though the bill was opposed by the political parties and religious leaders for reasons varying, it was passed by the government on the floor and has gone to the standing committee for scrutiny. "Age of marriage should be uniformly applied across all religions/caste/ creed overriding any custom/law discriminating against women. We're 75 years late in providing equal rights to women," said Smriti Irani while introducing it in the Winter Session of the Indian Parliament.