On this day, the Child Marriage Restraint Act of 1929 came into force and was applicable to all of British India. This Act, also known as the Sharda Act, raised the legal age of marriage to 14 for girls and 18 for boys. In 1949, the minimum age was amended to 15 for girls, and in 1978 to 18 for girls and 21 for boys. The Child Marriage Restraint Act was significant also because of the role the women’s movements played in it. The All India Women’s Conference, Women’s Indian Association and the National Council of Women in India lobbied for it actively, constantly presenting to the Indian political leaders their arguments in favour of raising the legal age of marriage. However, it was not implemented with any seriousness by the British Indian government.
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