Himachal Pradesh passes bill to raise women’s marriage age from 18 to 21 years

The Himachal Pradesh Assembly on Tuesday passed a bill to raise the minimum age of marriage for women from 18 to 21 years, Bar and Bench reported.

The Prohibition of Child Marriage Himachal Pradesh Amendment Bill 2024, introduced by Health, Social Justice, and Empowerment Minister Dhani Ram Shandil, was passed in the Assembly by voice vote. It will now be sent to Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla for his assent.

The bill seeks to amend the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006. The minimum age of marriage under the Act for women is 18 years and for men is 21.

Shandil, while tabling the bill in the Assembly, said it was necessary to increase the minimum age of marriage for women to ensure gender equality and provide opportunities to them, The Indian Express reported.

Early marriages hindered girls’ education and ability to progress in life, he said. Early pregnancies and motherhood also negatively impacted their health, Shandil added.

The bill stated that early marriages acted as a hindrance to the progress of a woman’s career and her physical development, according to Bar and Bench.

Following its passage in the Assembly, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu told The Hindu that the bill displayed the intent of the Congress-led government in the state to serve the best interests of women.

“We are the first state in the country to enact...

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