Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram expressed his support for the idea to raise the legal age of marriage from 18 to 21 years, but also stressed that the new rule should not take effect before January 1, 2023. The year 2022 should be utilised to launch an educational campaign emphasising the advantages of marriage only when a boy or girl reach the age of maturity, that is, 21.
‘There is a dispute about whether it is wise to raise the age of marriage for girls to 21 and make it the same as for boys. In my opinion, the age of marriage for both girls and boys should be 21 years old. However, the new law should come into effect on January 1, 2023, or later. The year 2022 should be utilised to launch a huge educational campaign emphasising the advantages of marrying after a boy or girl has reached the age of 21’ said Chidambaram.
The Union Cabinet is believed to have cleared a proposal to bring uniformity in the marriageable age of men and women. In the current Winter Session of Parliament, the government is expected to introduce a bill to alter the 2006 Prohibition of Child Marriage Act. According to reports, the proposed bill may also attempt to make consequential modifications to several personal laws relating to marriage in various communities in order to ensure a uniform age for marriage.
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