Why marriage age for women is 18?: HC

Different minimum age of marriage for men and women is not only against the doctrine of gender equality and gender justice, guaranteed under article 14 and 15 of the Constitution of India

JODHPUR: The Rajasthan High Court on Wednesday sought response from the Central and State Government on a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) declaring the legal age of marriage as 18 years unconstitutional f or women.

The Division Bench of Chief Justice Inderjit Mohanty and Justice Dr. Pushpendrasingh Bhati was hearing the PIL filed by the petitioner Abdul Mannan.

“Different minimum age of marriage for men and women is not only against the doctrine in of gender equality and gender justice, guaranteed under article 14 and 15 of the Constitution of India but also against the the dignity of women, which is an integral part of article 21,” the petitioner said.

The petition states that more than 125 countries in the world have a uniform age of marriage f o r men a n d wo men. T h e national human right Commission, pursuant to the National conference on child marriage, had recommended that India follow suit and bring uniformity in

PETITION

the minimum age limit.

“Women have a fundamental right to be free to pursue studies or occupation after finishing School at the age of 18. As per the World Health Organisation, women who get pregnant before the age of 20, face higher risk of low birthweight, preterm delivery and severe neonatal conditions,”he added.

According to the petition, the differential age limit is based solely on stereotypes The Law Commission o f I ndi a ha s observed that there exists no scientific basis for such a distinction and that the differential limit.