SC Turns Down PIL Seeking Uniform Age For Marriage For Men, Women: Know About Same-Age Relationship Benefits

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In India, men are permitted to get married at the age of 21, and for women, it is 18 years.

Recently, the apex court of India, Supreme Court turned down a plea filed by advocate Ashwini Upadhyay seeking uniform age for marriage for both women and men, mentioning that courts cannot enact a law as there are some matters that are reserved for Parliament.

While declining to allow the plea, A bench headed by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud said, 'We must defer to the Parliament. We can't enact law here. We should not perceive that we're the exclusive custodian of the Constitution. Parliament is also a custodian', mentioned a PTI report.

A bench headed by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud said the top court cannot issue a mandamus (an extraordinary writ) for parliament to legislate. the bench observed while declining to allow the plea.
'The Petitioner seeks that women's age of marriage should be increased to 21 to par with men. Striking down of provision will result in there being no age for marriage for women. Hence petitioner seeks a legislative amendment. This court cannot issue a mandamus for parliament to legislate,' read the statement by the court.

To which the bench said, "We decline this petition, leaving it open to the petitioner to seek appropriate directions."

The plea by Upadhyay contented, 'The petition challenges a blatant, ongoing form of discrimination against women. That is the discriminatory minimum age limit for marriage for men and women in India...While men in India are permitted to get married only at the age of 21 years, women are allowed to get married when they are 18. This distinction is based in patriarchal stereotypes, has no scientific backing, perpetrates de jure and de facto inequality against women, and goes completely against global trends....It is a social reality that married women are expected to perform a subordinate role vis-a-vis the husband and this power imbalance is deeply aggravated by the age difference,' it said.

The plea was filed to show how gender-based hierarchy is still prominent today where the younger spouse is expected to be servile and respect the elder partner which violates the principles of gender equality, the dignity of women and gender justice, claimed the petition.

Well, who are we to argue but surely we know that it can be difficult at times to bond with partners where the age gap is massive because understanding each other, respect and equality always come under question.

Also, a recent study has pointed out that the more the age gap is, the more the chances are of separation.

So, do you want to be inclined more towards same-age relationships or atleast give it a try? Even though there are numerous parameters for a long-lasting, successful relationship, but certainly 'age' is one of them.

We all say that age is just a number, but that number can hold a lot of value when it comes to relationships and it can change the dynamics for better or worse. Let us know about the advantages of being in same-age relationships.

1. Sharing Similar Frequency While Dealing With Problems

When both partners are of the same age, possibly peers or friends, then there is a possibility that they can understand the situations better and show better maturity than the ones where there is an age gap. If the maturity level is low, then one can prepare themselves and/or the other partner for difficult situations they may be coming across.

2. Similar Goals And Perspective Towards Life

There is a higher chance that same-age couples can similar goals and perspectives towards life. Maybe both partners are planning to settle down or planning to get a job after their studies to secure their future. This is not the case in relationships with age differences, where aspirations can be poles apart and that can give rise to discord in relationships.

3. Establishing Equality In Relationships

Same-age partners have a higher chance of getting respect from each other in a relationship. Be it tolerance or respect, it will be mutual and they will be sensitive about each other situations as well. This also brings gender equality to the forefront and therefore, dominance takes a backseat for both partners because no one is leading in age or experience.

4. Being Able To Easily Gel With Family And Friends

In same-age relationships, there is a higher possibility that your friends are also from similar age groups and therefore, mixing up or socializing with them becomes pretty easy. In relationships where there is a long age gap, there may not be the same comfort level which results in unwanted stress in your relationship.

5. Having Similar Life Experiences

When you are in the same age group and have similar experiences and that makes the partners more compatible. Also, this will ensure that both understand each other better because of a shared history. This can also indicate that the relationship will be healthy and stable in a lot of ways.