REVIEW OF LAWS, IMPLEMENTATION OF TREATIES AND OTHER INTERNATIONAL INSTRUMENTS ON HUMAN RIGHTS
B] Child Marriage Restraint Act, 1929
5.10 The problem of child marriage in certain parts of the country, especially
in the States of Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, has been of continuing concern
to the Commission. In its annual report for 2001-02, the Commission reported
that it had requested its Member, Justice Smt. Sujata V. Manohar, to study
the Child Marriage Restraint Act, 1929 and to offer her comments on it.
Justice Smt. Sujata V. Manohar proceeded to make a number of specific
suggestions to deal with the issue of child marriage and to amend the Act. Her
views, which are summarized in the preceding annual report of the Commission,
were discussed in detail in a meeting organized by the Commission on 6
February 2002 at which, among others, the Secretary, Department of Women
and Child Development (DWCD) was present. In that meeting, the amendments
proposed by Justice Smt. Sujata V. Manohar, were agreed upon with minor
modifications. They may be seen in Annexure 5 to the annual report for 20012002. The proposals were thereafter placed before a meeting of the Statutory
Commission held on 3 May 2002, to which the "deemed Members" of the
Commission were invited, when the proposals were approved.
5.11 A copy of the Draft Child Marriage Restraint Bill 2002, as approved by
the Statutory Commission, was then sent for information, consideration and
appropriate action to the concerned Secretaries of all the State Governments/
Union Territories as well as to the Secretary, Department of Women and Child
Development, Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India.
A copy of the Draft Bill was also forwarded for information to the Secretary,
Ministry of Home Affairs and the Secretary, Ministry of Law and Justice,
Government of India.
5.12 During the course of the year under review, the State Governments of
Bihar, Maharashtra, Punjab and Dadra & Nagar Haveli have conveyed their
concurrence to the amendments proposed by the Commission. The States of
Andhra Pradesh, Orissa, Uttar Pradesh and the Union Territory of Chandigarh
have made certain suggestions, which the Commission is examining. The other
States/Union Territories have been reminded to respond to the Commission on
this subject.
C] Protection from Domestic Violence Bill, 2002
5.13 The Protection from Domestic Violence Bill 2002, drafted by the
ANNUAL REPORT 2002-2003
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