HYDERABAD: Many Muslim families in the city of Hyderabad are in the process of solemnizing marriages (nikah) of their children in fear that the Prohibition of Child Marriage (Amendment) Bill, 2021, which seeks to raise the legal age of marriage from 18 years to 21 years, would soon become law. The bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha in the Winter Session.

The Bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha by Union Minister Smriti Irani on 21 December and was then referred to the Parliamentary Standing Committee for detailed scrutiny, amidst loud protests by Opposition members.

As per reports in the Telangana Today, families planned to marry off their young daughters as they worry that the new rule would hamper their wedding plans. The families are concerned that they have made all arrangements for the marriages and if the law comes into force they would have to cancel them.

Some of them have even gone o the extent of conducting nikaah’s through telephone, and Skype video calls, reports say. The local Muslim heads say that it was wrong on part of the Centre to increase the marriage age of the girls. Many of the families were adhering to the 18 year age for marriage law and now with this new law will lead to more problems for them.

Another fact to note is that the Parliamentary Standing Committee set up to examine the Prohibition of Child Marriage (Amendment) Bill, 2021, has only one woman MP out of 31 members. Trinamool Congress MP Sushmita Dev is the only woman in the committee which is led by BJP leader Vinay Sahasrabuddhe. There is a widespread opinion that more women in the panel should have been appointed and asked for inclusive discussions to deliberate on the issues that directly affect them.

Also Read: Women's Marriage Age Raised From 18 to 21