Task force formed to study issue of age of girl entering motherhood: Centre to HC
New Delhi: The Centre on Wednesday informed the Delhi High Court that a task force has been constituted to study the issue of minimum age of girl entering motherhood.
The Centre's submissions were made during the hearing of a PIL seeking equality in legal age of marriage for men and women.
A bench of Chief Justice D N Patel and Justice C Hari Shankar was informed about Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman's recent speech while presenting the Budget in Parliament where she discussed the issue of age of girls entering motherhood.
The minister had said in her speech, "Women's age of marriage was increased from fifteen years to eighteen years in 1978, by amending erstwhile Sharda Act of 1929. As India progresses further, opportunities open up for women to pursue higher education and careers.
"There are imperatives of lowering maternal mortality rate (MMR) as well as improvement of nutrition levels. Entire issue about age of a girl entering motherhood needs to be seen in this light. I propose to appoint a task force that will present its recommendations in six months' time."
The court granted more time to the Centre to file its response to the petition which says the minimum age limit of 18 years for a woman to get married amounts to "blatant discrimination" and listed the matter for further hearing on May 28.
Men in India are permitted to get married at the age of 21.
Petitioner and advocate Ashwini Upadhyay said the plea has been filed raising a legal question and forming a task force will not serve the purpose. He said it is a matter concerning right to equality guaranteed under Article 14 of the Constitution.
The high court had earlier sought response from the Centre on the PIL by the BJP leader claiming that the difference in minimum age of marriage for men and women was based on patriarchal stereotypes and has no scientific backing.
The petition claimed that the difference in marriage age violates the principles of gender equality, gender justice and dignity of women.
"The petition challenges a blatant, ongoing form of discrimination against women. That is the discriminatory minimum age limit for marriage for men and women in India.
"While men in India are permitted to get married only at the age of 21 years, women are allowed to get married when they are 18. This distinction is based in patriarchal stereotypes, has no scientific backing, perpetrates de jure and de facto inequality against women, and goes completely against global trends," the petition contended.
It said "it is a social reality" that married women are expected to perform a subordinate role vis- -vis the husband and this "power imbalance" is deeply aggravated by the age difference.
"A younger spouse is, therefore, expected to respect and be servile to her elder partner, which aggravates the pre-existing gender based hierarchy in the marital relationship," the petition stated.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
ED raids Kolkata Police deputy commissioner, businessman in PMLA probe
Kolkata (PTI): The Enforcement Directorate on Sunday conducted raids at the premises of Kolkata Police Deputy Commissioner Shantanu Sinha Biswas and a local businessman as part of a money laundering probe against an alleged criminal and his linked syndicate in the poll-bound state, officials said.
Two premises of Biswas, including his residence in Ballygunge area and one location of the businessman named Joy Kamdar, Managing Director of a company named Sun Enterprise, have been raided under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
Kamdar has been taken by the officials to the local ED office for questioning. Biswas, chief coordinator and nodal officer of the West Bengal and Kolkata Police welfare committee, was not present at his premises, they said.
The action is linked to a money laundering case against an alleged local criminal named Biswajit Podder alias Sona Pappu, who is booked in multiple cases on charges of attempted murder and extortion.
The federal probe agency had conducted the first round of searches in this case on April 1.
The ED had then seized cash of Rs 1.47 crore apart from gold jewellery and silver valued at Rs 67.64 lakh and a country-made revolver from some premises that were searched.
The probe stems from a Kolkata Police FIR against against Podder for his alleged involvement in rioting, attempt to murder, criminal conspiracy and Arms Act violations. The accused, including Podder, were engaged in organised criminal syndicate activities in the state of West Bengal and generated funds illegally by way of syndicate operations, the ED said in a statement on April 9.
Podder is also wanted by the police in a case of violence in Kankulia road near Golpark of Kolkata and is currently on the run.
The ED has issued summons to Podder but he has failed to join the investigation so far, according to the agency.
West Bengal will have a two phase poll on April 23 and April 29.
