The Madhya Pradesh High Court has issued a call for responses from the Union government, the state, and the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) regarding a petition that demands the uniform application of the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act (PCMA), 2006 across all communities. The petition, filed by local activist Dr. Aman Sharma, challenges the discrepancies between the PCMA and the Muslim Personal Law (Shariat) Application Act of 1937.
A division bench comprising Justices Sushrut Arvind Dharmadhikari and Duppala Venkata Ramana heard the case and has given the parties four weeks to reply. The PCMA sets the legal marriage age at 18 for women and 21 for men, conflicting with the Muslim Personal Law, which allows marriage at the age of puberty, typically recognized as 15 years.
Petitioner’s counsel, Abhinav Dhanodkar, argued that the current legal framework allows for discrepancies that undermine the health, education, and socio-economic status of minors, particularly girls. “Early marriage perpetuates gender inequality and socio-economic disadvantages,” Dhanodkar stated during a press briefing.
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The Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeks a judicial declaration that would prioritize the PCMA over any conflicting personal laws and calls for legislative amendments to harmonize the legal age of marriage across different communities.
