Committee on girls' minimum marriage age submits report: Govt

New Delhi, Feb 4 (IANS) The Committee set up to consider raising the minimum age for marriage of girls has submitted its report, Parliament was informed on Thursday.The minimum age of marriage for girls may be increased from 18 years to 21 years, as last year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had so advocated.In a written reply to Shiv Sena Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Raut who had asked whether the government is considering increasing the current minimum marriage age of girls from 18 to 21 years, Women and Child Development Minister Smriti Irani said that the committee constituted to consider the issue of marriage and age of maternity etc has submitted its report."In relation to age, pregnancy, childbirth, infant mortality, maternal mortality and fertility rate are being discussed on the basis of parameters," she said.A petition by BJP leader Ashwini Upadhyay for raising the minimum age of marriage of girls is also pending in the Supreme Court.
--IANS sbh/vd