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What if I marry before 21?

What if I marry before 21?

The Prohibition of Child Marriage Act (PCMA) defines child marriage as marriage in which either the girl or the boy is underage, i.e., the girl is under 18 years of age or the boy is younger than 21 years. If the boy is over 18 years of age at the time of marriage, he will be treated as an offender and can be punished.

Is it illegal to get married under 21?

Males at the time of marriage must be at least 18 years of age, while females aged 16–17 can marry with the consent of at least one parent or guardian. Anyone from the ages of 18 to 21 can marry with the consent of both parents (if aplicable) or guardian.

Is marriage with a minor valid?

A division bench of the Punjab and Haryana High Court has ruled that a marriage contracted with a minor girl would be legally valid if the child upon turning 18 does not declare it void. The high court held that such a marriage is not void but a voidable one.

Can a 16 year old marry a 25 year old?

Most states have a minimum marriage age for minors with parental consent, ranging from 12-17 years old. However, California and Mississippi do not have minimum ages for minors to be allowed to marry with parental consent.

Can I marry an 18 year old?

A male who has not reached the age of 21 is a “child” as per the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006. However, a male aged between 18 and 21 marrying a female above 18 years will not be punishable under the Act for contracting a child marriage, the Supreme Court has ruled.

Is 21 too early to get married?

There is no best age to get married that applies to everyone. You’re never too old for it, and while it’s very possible to get married before you’re ready, it’s often not necessarily because you’re too young to marry.

Is underage marriage valid in India?

In simpler words, a child marriage is deemed valid despite the law banning the practice if the bride does not approach the authorities declaring her marriage void. The Ludhiana family court’s decision was based on Section 5(iii) of the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955.

Can a minor marry with parental consent in India?

Under protests from Muslim organizations in undivided British India, a personal law Sharia Act was passed in 1937 that allowed child marriages with consent from a girl’s guardian. The minimum legal age for marriage was increased to 15 for girls in 1949, and to 18 for females and 21 for males in 1978.