Centre Proposes Uniform Age of Marriage Bill: 18 for All Genders — Equality Begins at Adulthood
- ByAdmin --
- 18 Apr 2025 --
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In a significant step toward gender neutrality in personal laws, the Government of India has introduced the Uniform Age of Marriage Bill, 2025, proposing that 18 be the legal minimum age of marriage for all genders, replacing the current provision that allows men to marry at 21 and women at 18.
The bill, introduced in the Lok Sabha in April 2025, aims to bring India’s marriage laws in line with constitutional guarantees of equality and international commitments on gender justice and child rights. If passed, it would amend multiple personal and civil laws, making 18 the uniform age of legal marriage, regardless of sex, religion, or personal law.
Current Legal Framework: A Gender Gap in Age
At present, Indian law sets different minimum marriage ages:
- 18 years for women
- 21 years for men
This difference is codified across various laws, including:
- The Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006
- The Hindu Marriage Act, 1955
- The Special Marriage Act, 1954
- And even under personal laws like the Muslim personal law, where marriage is permitted upon attaining puberty
- Across all personal laws and civil codes, the legal minimum age of marriage will be standardized to 18 years, regardless of gender or religion.
- The bill proposes to amend:
- The Prohibition of Child Marriage Act
- The Hindu Marriage Act, Christian Marriage Act, Special Marriage Act, and others
- Relevant clauses under Muslim personal law will be superseded by this secular reform
- The Prohibition of Child Marriage Act
- Any marriage where either party is under 18 will be deemed voidable, and void if coercion, trafficking, or exploitation is involved.
- The bill's preamble explicitly invokes Article 14 (equality), Article 15 (non-discrimination), and Article 21 (right to life with dignity).
- Across all personal laws and civil codes, the legal minimum age of marriage will be standardized to 18 years, regardless of gender or religion.
This discrepancy has been criticized as discriminatory, patriarchal, and outdated, rooted in historical assumptions about women’s maturity, fertility, and social roles.
The Uniform Age of Marriage Bill, 2025: Key Features
- Uniform Marriage Age of 18 for All
- Amendment of Existing Laws
- Wider Definitions of ‘Child Marriage’
- Focus on Gender Justice
Why the Reform Is Needed
a) Gender Parity Under the Constitution
The Constitution guarantees equality before law (Article 14) and prohibits discrimination on grounds of sex (Article 15). Different legal marriage ages are inconsistent with this vision.
b) International Commitments
India is a signatory to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), which mandates equal treatment in marriage and family relations.
c) Empowerment Through Equality
By equalizing the age, the bill:
- Dismantles outdated gender roles (e.g., that girls mature earlier or should marry younger)
- Empowers young women and men equally to decide when and whom to marry
- Creates a level playing field for education, employment, and legal adulthood
Political and Legal Challenges
While the bill has been widely welcomed by gender rights advocates, it faces resistance on several fronts:
Religious and Cultural Opposition
- Certain religious organizations argue that the bill interferes with personal laws and traditions, especially in Muslim communities, where girls can be married after puberty.
- Critics claim that the bill oversteps federal boundaries and infringes on community autonomy.
Legal Implementation Hurdles
- Even under the current law, child marriage continues to be practiced, especially in rural belts.
- The challenge is not just legal change, but effective enforcement, education, and social change.
Expert Opinions and Civil Society Response
Legal experts have praised the bill for removing a legal inconsistency that normalizes patriarchal assumptions. Senior Advocate Indira Jaising noted:
“This law affirms that adulthood is a universal standard—not subject to gendered assumptions.”
Women’s rights organizations have also emphasized that equal marriage age will support efforts to delay early marriage, improve maternal health, and boost educational outcomes for girls.
Youth Perspective: Equality at 18
Interestingly, several youth collectives and student bodies have voiced support, highlighting that:
- If both men and women can vote, sign contracts, and be tried as adults at 18, they should also be equally eligible to marry.
- Unequal marriage ages reinforce the subordination of women in family structures.
What Happens Next
The bill has been referred to a Parliamentary Standing Committee for review. If cleared, it would require majority approval in both Houses and presidential assent.
State governments would then need to:
- Amend corresponding state laws
- Train civil and family courts on implementation
- Launch awareness campaigns around the new legal age
Equal Age, Equal Rights
The Uniform Age of Marriage Bill is a long-overdue correction to a legal relic that codified gender difference into marital law. If passed, it would affirm that adulthood means autonomy—for both girls and boys.
Because equality doesn’t begin at 21 for boys and 18 for girls. It begins when the law finally sees them as equal citizens.
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