Punjab Assembly sets minimum marriage age at 18 for both males and females

In a significant move towards protecting its youth, the Punjab Assembly has passed the Child Marriage Restraint Bill 2026, establishing 18 years as the minimum legal age for marriage for both boys and girls. This landmark legislation criminalizes underage marriage, classifying it as a non-bailable offense and signaling a strong commitment to ending a practice that has long plagued society. The bill's passage marks a crucial step in safeguarding the rights and well-being of children in Punjab.

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It is for the first time that members are sitting in the assembly without having receiving copies of a bill under consideration.

The legislative process, however, was not without its challenges. Lawmakers initially faced a lack of transparency, with copies of the bill not being provided before the session, leading to a heated debate. Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari rightly voiced concerns about this unprecedented situation, emphasizing the need for full transparency and ensuring all members were adequately informed. The subsequent distribution of the bill's copies allowed for a more informed discussion.

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It is essential for all lawmakers to be fully informed about the contents of the bill before passing it.

Discussions also delved into the complexities of marriage, with arguments presented regarding the necessity of considering both 'mental and physical maturity' alongside age verification. While some, like PML-N lawmaker Zulfiqar Ali Shah, urged caution against prioritizing the bill over 'societal values' and expressed concerns about 'moral implications' of entirely restricting early marriages, Bokhari powerfully countered by highlighting the severe implications of child marriages for girls and the societal injustices often associated with them, such as 'using girls to settle disputes'. The assembly's eventual approval, with an amendment prioritizing the best interests of the child, demonstrates a commendable cross-party consensus on this vital issue of child protection.

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Both mental and physical maturity need to be considered before marriage and emphasised the need for age verification through documents such as national identity cards or birth certificates.