MP Sushmita Dev only woman in 31-member Panel examining bill to raise legal marriage age

Comprising 31 MPs in total, the parliamentary standing committee constituted to examine The Prohibition of Child Marriage (Amendment) Bill, 2021 which seeks to raise the legal age of marriage for women to 21, ironically has only one woman. According to the members' list of the parliamentary standing committee, led by senior BJP leader Vinay Sahasrabuddhe, available on the Rajya Sabha website, TMC MP Sushmita Dev is the only woman among the 31 members.

"I wish there were more women MPs in the committee but having said that we will make sure all interest groups are heard," Dev said while speaking to the media. The Bill that is a great step toward gender parity was introduced in the Parliament during the winter session and referred to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Education, Women, Children, Youth and Sports.

'Not fair', says Jaya Jaitly 

The legal age of marriage for women is being raised by the Centre on the recommendations of the Jaya Jaitly Committee that was constituted by the WCD Ministry in June 2020. When contacted, Jaitly said it wouldn't be fair if 50 per cent of the committee members examining this proposed legislation are not women.

"I would request all political parties especially those who have been supportive of women reservation to replace their MPs on the panel with female MPs if the system permits or suggest their MPs to consult female MPs while deliberating on this important legislation," Jaitly said. 

The Department-Related Standing Committees are permanent, while joint and select committees are constituted from time to time to deal with bills and relevant subjects of various ministries. These panels are constituted by both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Education, Women, Children, Youth and Sports is a Rajya Sabha administered Committee. Parties nominate members based on their strength in the House.

The Prohibition of Child Marriage (Amendment) Bill, 2021

The bill seeks to increase the legal age for women to marry to 21 years, as is the provision for men. It seeks to amend seven personal laws - the Indian Christian Marriage Act; the Parsi Marriage and Divorce Act; the Muslim Personal Law (Shariat) Application Act; the Special Marriage Act; the Hindu Marriage Act; and the Foreign Marriage Act.

(With PTI inputs)