JAIPUR: In a major u-turn, the Ashok Gehlot government in Rajasthan is in the process of withdrawing the controversial bill containing the provision related to the registration of child marriages. The Compulsory Registration of Marriages (Amendment) Bill was passed in the state Assembly last month and provides for the registration of child marriages also. After the controversy, this bill has been put on hold by the Governor.
In less than a month, the government has decided to recall the recently passed marriage registration bill to re-examine it, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot said, citing concerns that its provisions will encourage child marriages. Gehlot said that the state government will urge the governor to return the bill for legal consultations.
“There has been a controversy that this law will encourage child marriage. We decided it was not a question of our prestige. We will request the governor to return the bill we have passed; we’ve also taken legal opinion on this. Next legal opinion will be taken If the opinion comes unfavourable, we will not promote it,” Gehlot said on International Girl Child Day.
BJP as well as human rights activists had objected to the clause in the ‘Rajasthan Compulsory Marriage Registration (Amendment) Bill 2021’ that allowed registration of marriage even if the bride and groom had not attained the legal age.