The Himachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly has passed a bill to raise the minimum marriage age for girls from 18 to 21 years. The Himachal Pradesh Child Marriage Prohibition Bill-2024 was passed unanimously on Tuesday (August 27) during the Monsoon Session of the Assembly.
The bill was introduced by the state’s Health, Social Justice, and Empowerment Minister, Dhaniram Shandil, who presented the Child Marriage Prohibition (Himachal Pradesh Amendment Bill, 2024) on Tuesday. The bill was passed without any opposition or discussion, reflecting a consensus among lawmakers on the issue.
The amendment increases the legal marriage age for girls by three years. The bill will now be forwarded to the Governor for final approval.
Introducing the bill, Health and Women Empowerment Minister Dhani Ram Shandil said that provision of Child Marriage Act 2006 was enacted to provide for prohibition of child marriages, adding it has become necessary to increase the minimum age of marriage for girls in order to provide gender equality and opportunities of obtaining higher education. Moreover, early pregnancies also have adverse effects on the health of the girls, the minister said.
The push to raise the marriage age for girls in Himachal Pradesh has been in the works for some time. The state cabinet approved the revised draft of the bill seven months ago, recognising the need for legislative measures to enhance the welfare and empowerment of young women.
Currently, the legal marriage age for girls in Himachal Pradesh is 18 years, the same as in most parts of India. However, with the passage of this bill, the state government aims to provide girls with more time for education and personal development before marriage.
Once signed by the Governor, the new law will come into effect.
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