Opposition Stages Walkout Over New Law In Rajasthan, Says It Validates Child Marriage

If it is indeed a child marriage, the collector of the particular district and officers concerned will be able to take necessary action against the families, the Parliamentary Affairs Minister said.

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New Delhi: The Opposition in Rajasthan is convinced that new state law pertaining to the registration of marriages validates child marriage, though the Congress-led government has that there was nothing new but a technical change made to an older piece of legislation.

The Rajasthan Assembly on Friday witnessed a debate and an opposition walkout after the assembly passed the new bill by voice vote to amend a 2009 Act on compulsory registration of marriages including child marriages within 30 days of the marriage according to ANI.

The new bill includes cases of compulsory registration of marriages between the bridegroom who has not completed 21 years and the bride who has not completed 18 years of age.

"By amending the marriage registration Act, they have opened the floodgates by saying that if the bride is below 18 and the groom below 21, their marriage can be registered by just application," said Rajendra Rathore, the Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Rajasthan Assembly said according to NDTV. 

If it is indeed a child marriage, the collector of the particular district and the officers concerned will be able to take necessary action against the families, the Parliamentary Affairs Minister Shanti Dhariwal pointed out.

The statement and objective of the amendment bill say that if the couple has not completed the legal age of marriage, the parents or guardians shall be responsible for submitting a memorandum within a prescribed period. Dhariwal said even the couple can get their marriage registered, provided that they inform their families within 30 days.

Child marriages are taking place even today in Rajasthan and this is happening all over the country, the minister said.