NCW welcomes SC judgement on underage marriages

New Delhi, Mar 27 (UNI) The National Commission for Women (NCW) today welcomed the Supreme Court judgement staying a controversial decision of the Delhi High Court which upheld the marriage of a girl aged below 18 years.

''The Commission only wanted to draw the attention of the court towards the disparities in the law which will be used against women and today's judgement is welcome move,'' NCW chairperson Girija Vyas told reporters here.

She said judgement will come as a relief to the affected people.

The apex court also issued notices to the Centre and the Delhi government to remove anomalies in various acts and laws pertaining to the fixation of minimum marriageable age in India.

The NCW and the Delhi Commission for Women had filed a petition in the Supreme Court, alleging that the impugned High Court order had only added to the confusion regarding laws relating to the marriage of a minor.

''Existing contradictions in the legislations has made mockery of Indian laws and their implementation has become ineffective,'' the petition had said.

At present the minimum marriageable age for a girl is 18 years while for a boy it is 21 years but the impugned High Court judgement upheld the validity of betrothal of a minor on the ground that a girl can give consent for marriage if she has attained the "age of discretion".

The petitioner had pleaded that the High Court verdict, if not set aside, would encourage the practice of child marriage.

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