Shimla, Aug 27: The Himachal Pradesh Assembly has passed a significant amendment to the state’s marriage laws by introducing the Prohibition of Child Marriage (Himachal Pradesh Amendment) Bill 2024. The amendment, which raises the minimum legal marriage age for girls from 18 to 21 years, is a major step towards improving the welfare and future prospects of young women in the state. The bill, introduced during the monsoon session of the Assembly, was passed unanimously without any debate.
Health Minister Dhani Ram Shandil, while introducing the bill, emphasized the government’s commitment to providing better opportunities for education and career development to girls. “Increasing the age of marriage will ensure that girls are given a chance to fully develop and achieve their potential before getting married,” Shandil said. He also pointed out that early marriage often has a negative impact on the health of young mothers and impedes their personal and professional development.
This amendment is in line with the decision of the Central Government to increase the legal age of marriage for girls to 21 years, which was approved by the Union Cabinet in December 2020. This national initiative announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi underlined the importance of protecting young girls from malnutrition and ensuring their overall well-being.
The amendment bill proposes changes to key marriage laws, including the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955, the Special Marriage Act, 1954 and the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006, to bring uniformity in the legal age of marriage for girls and boys, which is now fixed at 21 years.
With the passage of this bill, Himachal Pradesh joins other states taking proactive steps to protect the rights of young women and promote gender equality. The bill will now be sent to the Governor for assent, which will prove to be an important milestone in the legislative efforts to enhance the welfare of the women citizens of the state.
The passage of this bill will make Himachal Pradesh join the growing list of states taking proactive steps to protect the rights of young women and promote gender equality in the country.
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