New Delhi: The Rajasthan Assembly on Friday passed the Compulsory Registration of Marriages (Amendment) Bill, 2021, despite a walkout from the House by opposition legislators.
The assembly passed a bill to amend the Rajasthan Compulsory Marriage Registration Act, 2009, according to which information on child marriages must be submitted by their parents or guardians within 30 days of marriage.
Seeking to withdraw the bill, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) slammed the Rajasthan government and questioned the need for registration of child marriages. According to news agency ANI, BJP MLA Ashok Lahoti said, “It will be a dark day for the assembly if this bill is passed. Does the assembly allow us to unanimously allow child marriage? By showing hands, we will allow child marriage.” The bill will write a dark chapter in the history of the Assembly.”
The Congress-led Rajasthan government, however, has said that the bill has been brought on the basis of the Supreme Court’s order. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Shanti Dhariwal reportedly said that the amendment does not say that child marriage will be legal.
“You say that child marriage will be valid. This amendment nowhere says that such marriages will be valid. Marriage certificate is a legal document, in the absence of which the widow will not get the benefit of any government scheme.” The minister said.
While the bill was passed by voice vote, the opposition objected to the amendment to Section 8 of the 2009 Act, saying it should be abolished. The same was stated in the 2009 Act, with the only difference being that the age mentioned was 21 for both boys and girls.
.