Alka Verma –
Published On: September 19, 2021 at 10:45 IST
Rajasthan State Assembly passed a Bill, amending a 2009 Act (Rajasthan Compulsory Registration of Marriages Act)
The Bill aims to make the registration of all marriages compulsory which also includes Child Marriage.
The Bill Amends Section 8 of the 2009 Act, which earlier made it compulsory for the parties to submit a Memorandum for registration of the Marriage to the Marriage Registrar.
Now, as per the Amendment, a major couple, (where the boy has completed the age of 21 and the girl has completed the age of 18), it’s their duty to submit the Memorandum.
The same Bill also allows the parents or the guardian of a minor couple (where the boy and the girl has not completed the age of 21 and 18), to submit the Memorandum.
The Bill is getting a lot of criticism and is getting opposed by the opposition party.
The Leader of State Opposition, Gulab Chand Kataria stated, “I think this law is completely wrong. The legislators who have passed it have not seen it. Section 8 of the bill violates the present law in force against child marriages”.
BJP MLA Ashok Lahoti stated that“It will be a black day for the assembly if this bill is passed. Does the assembly permit us to unanimously allow child marriages? By a show of hands, we will be permitting child marriages. The bill will write a black chapter in the history of the assembly.”
On the other hand, Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Shanti Kumar Dhariwal defended and explained the Bill.
Dhariwal stated, “The bill does not say that child marriage is valid. The bill says that after marriage, only registration is necessary. It does not imply that child marriage is valid. If the District Collector wants, he or she can still take action against the child marriages”.
Dhariwal, highlighting the provisions of the Bill stated that now registration can be done at the level of District Marriage Registration Officer, Additional District Marriage Registration Officer and Block Marriage Registration Officer level.
Furthermore, Dhariwal added, “These officers will be able to monitor and review the work of registration. This will make it easier for the general public to register. This will bring simplicity and transparency to the work.”
CM Ashok Gehlot’s Government passed the bill by a voice note.
Click here to read/download the Order
Also Read: What are the Child Labour related laws in India ?
P&H High Court: Prohibition of Child Marriage Act does not differentiate on religion basis