The Himachal Pradesh Assembly has officially passed a new bill on Tuesday that seeks to increase the legal marriage age for women from 18 to 21 years. This significant legislative change, known as the Prohibition of Child Marriage (Himachal Pradesh Amendment Bill 2024), was approved by a voice vote on the opening day of the state’s two-week monsoon session.
Introduced by Dhani Ram Shandil, the Minister of Health, Social Justice, and Empowerment, the bill aims to further strengthen the existing Child Marriage Act of 2006 by raising the minimum marriageable age for women. Although the bill was first presented in the Vidhan Sabha during the February budget session, it did not receive the necessary approval at that time.
Following its passage in the assembly, the bill will be forwarded to Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla for his assent. Upon approval, Himachal Pradesh will be among the pioneering states in India to implement this progressive legislation aimed at combating child marriage.
Minister Shandil emphasized that while the Child Marriage Act of 2006 was initially enacted to prohibit child marriages, there is now a critical need to elevate the marriageable age for girls to promote gender equality and provide better opportunities for higher education. He highlighted that early marriages often hinder girls’ educational pursuits and limit their potential for personal and professional growth. Additionally, he pointed out that early pregnancies and motherhood can have adverse effects on the health and well-being of young women.
Earlier in the year, a central government bill intended to standardize the marriage age for both men and women lapsed following the dissolution of the 17th Lok Sabha in June. The Prohibition of Child Marriage (Amendment) Bill, 2021, which proposed increasing the minimum marriage age for females to 21 years, was introduced in the Lok Sabha in December 2021 and referred to the standing committee on Education, Women, Children, Youth, and Sports. The committee extended the review period multiple times without finalizing the bill.
Under the current Child Marriage Act of 2006, individuals who marry below the legal age can seek annulment within two years of reaching adulthood (before the age of 20). The proposed amendment seeks to extend this period to five years (until the age of 23), thereby providing greater protection and flexibility for those affected by early marriages.
The passage of the Prohibition of Child Marriage (Himachal Pradesh Amendment Bill 2024) represents a crucial step towards safeguarding the rights of women, promoting their educational and social advancement, and ensuring greater gender equality within the state.
