Kerala opposes move to raise women marriageable age to 21
In 2021 Union women and child development minister Smriti Irani had brought a bill in parliament, Prohibition of Child Marriage Amendment Act, which seeks to bring uniformity in the marriageable age of men and women
Thiruvananthapuram:
The Kerala government has opposed the move to raise the marriage age of women from 18 to 21 years, saying that they are eligible to exercise their franchise at 18 so asking them to wait till 21 for wedding is not right.
The state women and child development department has written to the National Commission for Women in response to a letter sent by it seeking the opinion of the state, said people who are aware of the development. The letter also pointed out that even the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act 2012 has fixed 18 years as the minimum age for consensual sexual relationship between opposite genders.
The National Commission for Women has sent a letter to the state last year seeking its opinion on the proposed bill to hike the marriageable age of women to 21. The issue was discussed with many women organisations and others and the government formulated its decision based on these discussions, said people quoted above. The ruling CPI(M) has also discussed the issue at various party forums, they said.
In 2021 Union women and child development minister Smriti Irani had brought a bill in parliament, Prohibition of Child Marriage Amendment Act, which seeks to bring uniformity in the marriageable age of men and women. Now marriageable age of men is 21 and of women 18 years. The bill is currently with the standing committee of the parliament and will come into effect after both Houses passed it.
Many political parties including the Congress, CPI(M), Samajwadi Party and Muslim League have opposed the proposed bill but the government insisted that it was good to maintain overall health of women and they become more mature by 21 years.
In 2020 the union government had constituted a 10-member team under Samata Party leader Jaya Jaitly and it strongly recommended increasing the marriageable age of women from 18 to 21 years.
The Muslim League, one of the allies of the Congress, said delaying the age of marriage will give way to “live-in relationships” and “illegitimate relations”. Women League general secretary Noorbina Rasheed said when many developing countries had brought down the legal age of marriage from 21 to 18 years considering the biological and social needs, it was not proper for the country to take such a hasty decision. She said instead of implementing the Prohibition of Child Marriages Act 2006 in letter and spirit, attempts to raise the marriageable age of women was unfair and it will trigger many social issues. Many Muslim outfits said it was against the Muslim personal law and they fear it was a move aimed at imposing the common civil code in the country.
