New Delhi: Rajya Sabha chairman, Jagdeep Dhankhar, has given a three-month extension to a parliamentary committee examining a Bill that seeks to increase the age of marriage of women from the present 18 to 21 years.
"Hon’ble Chairman, Rajya Sabha, has granted an extension of time for a period of three months till 24th January 2024 to the Department-related to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Education, Women, Children, Youth and Sports for examination and presentation of report on The Prohibition of Child Marriage (Amendment) Bill, 2021,” a Rajya Sabha bulletin issued on Monday said.
The Prohibition of Child Marriage (Amendment) Bill, 2021 was introduced in the Lok Sabha in December 2021. It was later referred to the Standing Committee on Education, Women, Children, Youth Affairs, and Sports. The committee, on earlier occasions, also had given similar extensions to finalize the report.
Women and child development minister, Smriti Irani, had introduced the Bill in 2021. Subsequently, she requested the Lok Sabha Speaker to refer the Bill to the standing committee for detailed examination. Irani had informed the House about the government's intention to bring parity among men and women. She said that the Bill also sought to override all existing laws, including any custom, usage, or practice governing the parties in relation to marriage.
The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Education, Women, Children, Youth Affairs, and Sports comes under the Rajya Sabha.
