Par panel examining bill on increasing age of marriage of women gets fresh extension to submit report

A parliamentary committee examining a bill which seeks to increase the age of marriage of women from the present 18 to 21 years has been granted a fresh three-month extension to table its report.

The Prohibition of Child Marriage (Amendment) Bill, 2021 was introduced in the Lok Sabha in December 2021 and was referred to the standing committee on Education, Women, Children, Youth and Sports.

In the past too, the committee has been given extensions to finalising its report.

According to a Rajya Sabha bulletin issued on Tuesday, House Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar has granted another three month extension to the panel till January 24, 2024 to examine and present its report on the bill.

The standing committee on Education, Women, Children, Youth and Sports functions under the Rajya Sabha Secretariat.

Soon after introducing the bill, Women and Child Development Minister Smriti Irani had requested the Lok Sabha Speaker to refer the bill to the standing committee for detailed examination.

Irani had told the House that the government was seeking to bring parity among men and women.

She had said that the Bill also seeks to override all existing laws, including any custom, usage or practice governing the parties in relation to marriage.