Vikrant Shekhawat : Sep 18, 2021, 09:56 AM
Under the law related to registration of marriages in Rajasthan, now child marriage will also be registered. The marriage registration officer will do the registration up to the block level. After the debate in the assembly on Friday, the Compulsory Registration of Marriages Amendment Bill of Rajasthan was passed.The bill provides that if the girl's age at the time of marriage is less than 18 years and the boy's age is less than 21, then her parents will have to inform the registration officer within 30 days. In the case of child marriage, the parents of the boy and the girl will inform the registration officer by giving a memorandum in the prescribed format. Based on this, the registration officer will register that child marriage.
This provision has been made in Section 8 of the Compulsory Registration of Marriages Act. Earlier there were marriage registration officers at the district level. Provision has been made in this bill up to the block level. BJP MLAs staged a walkout from the House, questioning the need for registration and the purpose of the bill when child marriage would remain illegal, but the government argues that the bill has been brought on the basis of the Supreme Court's order.
Registration of child marriage does not mean giving validity
The opposition raised questions on the registration of child marriage and demanded the withdrawal of this bill. Replying to the debate on the bill, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Shanti Dhariwal said that registration of child marriages does not mean giving them legitimacy. Action will be taken against those who do child marriage even after registering it. Registration does not mean giving them legitimacy.
Dhariwal said that the Supreme Court, in its 2006 judgment in Seema vs Ashwini Kumar, had directed that registration of all types of marriages would be mandatory. Registration of every marriage will be mandatory. Registration is not meant to legitimize the marriage. Dhariwal said that if a minor is married, then he will have the right to annul it as soon as he attains majority.
BJP walkout
The provision of registration of child marriage was opposed by BJP MLAs and pro-Congress Independent MLA Sanyam Lodha. Many BJP MLAs including Leader of Opposition Gulab Chand Kataria, Deputy Leader of Opposition Rajendra Rathod said that registering child marriages is like validating them. This is a clear violation of the Sharda Act, a law to prevent child marriage.
Angry BJP MLAs walk out of the house. Before the bill was passed, BJP demanded voting on it, but the chairman ignored it. The bill was passed by voice vote. Describing the allegations of the opposition as wrong, the Parliamentary Affairs Minister cited the provisions of the Supreme Court.
This provision has been made in Section 8 of the Compulsory Registration of Marriages Act. Earlier there were marriage registration officers at the district level. Provision has been made in this bill up to the block level. BJP MLAs staged a walkout from the House, questioning the need for registration and the purpose of the bill when child marriage would remain illegal, but the government argues that the bill has been brought on the basis of the Supreme Court's order.
Registration of child marriage does not mean giving validity
The opposition raised questions on the registration of child marriage and demanded the withdrawal of this bill. Replying to the debate on the bill, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Shanti Dhariwal said that registration of child marriages does not mean giving them legitimacy. Action will be taken against those who do child marriage even after registering it. Registration does not mean giving them legitimacy.
Dhariwal said that the Supreme Court, in its 2006 judgment in Seema vs Ashwini Kumar, had directed that registration of all types of marriages would be mandatory. Registration of every marriage will be mandatory. Registration is not meant to legitimize the marriage. Dhariwal said that if a minor is married, then he will have the right to annul it as soon as he attains majority.
BJP walkout
The provision of registration of child marriage was opposed by BJP MLAs and pro-Congress Independent MLA Sanyam Lodha. Many BJP MLAs including Leader of Opposition Gulab Chand Kataria, Deputy Leader of Opposition Rajendra Rathod said that registering child marriages is like validating them. This is a clear violation of the Sharda Act, a law to prevent child marriage.
Angry BJP MLAs walk out of the house. Before the bill was passed, BJP demanded voting on it, but the chairman ignored it. The bill was passed by voice vote. Describing the allegations of the opposition as wrong, the Parliamentary Affairs Minister cited the provisions of the Supreme Court.