Changes in Personal Laws

Government says that it is not correct to say that it has only reformed the Hindu Personal Law and has failed to overhaul personal laws of minority communities. Stating this in written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha, Shri Salman Khurshid, Minister of Law & Justice, said that it is the consistent policy of the Central Government not to interfere in the personal laws of the minority communities unless necessary initiative therefor comes from a sizeable cross section of the community concerned. 

Shri Khurshid further informed the House that Under clause (a) of section 2 of the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006, a “child” means a person who, if a male, has not completed twenty- one years of age and if a female, has not completed eighteen years of age and under clause (b) thereof, “child marriage” means a marriage to which either of the contracting parties is a child. As per section clause (iii) of section 5 of the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955, a marriage may be solemnized between any two Hindus if the bridegroom has completed the age of twenty- one years and the bride, the age of eighteen years at the time of marriage. Thus, there is no conflict in both Acts on the age of marriage, Shri Khurshid said.