The tradition of marrying the girl in small age is still persisting in the society even the rich and educated families are still practicing it at a grand level. The rural and backward areas of state like UP, Bihar,
Rajasthan, Haryana and many other states have recorded violation of rules of marriage for girls.
According to the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955, it has been stated that the valid age for girls to getting married is 18. But according to the Hindu marriage act 1955, if the girl is married below the age of 18, then the marriage will be considered as the void.
During earlier times when the girl is married at a young age the male family demands so much of dowry and due to which the girl family starting feeling granted because they have to even give them the girl along with the dowry and even in some cases the male family demands more n more after the marriage.
Centre’s initiative and its applicability:
Government of India passed the proposal of increasing the age limit of the girls to be qualified for the marriage amid a major protest by the opposition in the house of parliament.
It is crystal clear that its not been work in lower areas (some villages of India) as the applicability and strictness over the following of the law is hurdled by the negligence and corruption at the ground level.
Right after the new amendment in the law there are many minorities and Muslims that were not in favour of changing the age from 18 to 21.
If we talk about the Muslims we all know that the Muslims have their own rules regarding their marriage such as MUSLIM PERSONAL LAW that is SHARIAT act in 1937. But we all know that India is a democratic India and everyone has their choice to practice their own rules and regulations they want to. Thus the Muslims choose their own laws regarding the marriage and more.
But right after the new amendment the child marriage is ushering in the social change. Due to which the child marriage is now considering as voidable not void. If we talk about the different minorities the people are not in favour of this law because the thinking of the people is not yet changed.
Progressive approach of the society:
There are several instances recorded that, still some people who does the marriage right after the birth of the girl and if that girl complaints a file after the 18, only then the marriage will be considered as void. But if we talk about the metropolitan cities such as DELHI, MUMBAI, BANGLORE and many more these cities are in favour of this amendment.
The new idea is materialized only because of the is thinking of the society has been changing as earlier there are no freedom for the girls, no jobs have been allotted to girls, but if we talk about the current situation we all know that the society is giving more and more facilities to girls.
To demonstrate:
The hospitals there are more number of the female doctors and nurses rather than the male doctors. And even if we talk about the private offices we all know that only the female worker is being providing with the cab facilities rather then the male worker. Due to which we all can understand that the thinking of the society is changing and in metropolitan cities girls want equality as well because if we talk about the male marriage age that is 21.
Marriage according to the other religion:
Due to which the females are in favour of the amendment that has been made from 18 to 21. But what if a girl is married to a MUSLIM man or what if a boy is married to a MUSLIM girl? In this what will be the consequences? Because if talk about the legal marriage age according to HINDU MARRIAGE ACT for man that 21 and for women that is 21 too, but if we talk about the SHARIAT act of the MUSLIM law the valid legal age for getting married for male is- 15 years of age that is whether it will be a boy or a girl the person must have presumed the attained the puberty or upon completing the legal age of 15 years.
Lets discuss it with some judgements by which we can understand as there a case in which if a Muslim girl that is below the age of 15 and a boy that is of 33 years, will that marriage will be considered as valid or void? Because in India we all know that the legal age for girl is 21. But here is a judgement what the court has said regarding this matter- The PUNJAB and the HARYANA high court has passed the judgement in which they have stated that by providing the protection to a Muslim girl who married to a Hindu man while noting that she is of Marriageable Age under Muslim personal law.
The bench of the justice HARNARESH SINGH was hearing a protection plea that has been filled by the couple who solemnized their marriage according to Hindu rituals and there after sought the protection of their life and liberty. In this case we can understand that the age is considered as a serious matter. Even though it matters that where the marriage has been done or in whatever tradition because in this case the boy is a Hindu and a girl is Muslim but the tradition the couple have followed is Hindu tradition.
Conclusion:
At last, if we see the amendment has played a very vital role in the country as changing the age from 18 to 21 is a brilliant step towards the betterment in the status of women in the society and letting them to excess their rights.
By all these situations we can understand that changing the age for girls 18 to 21 is good because every girl has here right when or at what age she should get marry, the society never have to force the parents or a girl.