(a) whether the Government has carried out any review of the laws relating to women;

(b) if so, the details thereof; and

(c) the outcome of these reviews?

MINISTER OF THE STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT(SHRIMATI KANTI SINGH)

(a) and (b) Yes, Sir. The National Commission for Women (NCW) and the Task Force on Women and Children (2000-2001) had reviewed various legislations affecting women from a gender perspective. The list of legislations reviewed by the NCW and the Task Force is enclosed as Statement.

(c) The Government has constituted a committee to review the progress of examination and implementation of the recommendations made by the NCW and the Task Force with regard to amendment in the laws. The Committee has representatives from the Ministries/Departments administratively concerned with the laws as well as from women`s voluntary organizations. The Hindu Succession Act, 1956 has been amended in the year 2005 to remove therefrom provisions discriminatory to women in the inheritance of property including agricultural land. In addition, a new law has been enacted, namely, the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005 to fill the gap in this area in the existing laws.

Statement

S.No.	Name of Act						Whether revieved by
								NCW	Task Force



1.	The Commission of Sati (Prevention) Act, 1987		Yes 	Yes
2.	Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961 
3.	Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act,	Yes	Yes
	1986
4.	Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, 1956 			Yes	Yes 
5.	Family Courts Act, 1984 				Yes	Yes
6.	Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act, 1976
7	Contract Labour (Regulation and Abolition) Act, 1970 	Yes	Yes
8.	Employees State Insurance Act, 1948 			Yes	Yes
9.	Equal Remuneration Act, 1976 				Yes	Yes
10.	Factories Act, 1948					Yes	Yes
11.	Inter-State Migrant Workmen (Regulation of Employment	Yes	Yes
	and Conditions of Service) Act, 1979
12.	Legal Practitioners (Women) Act, 1923			Yes	Yes
13.	Maternity Benefit Act, 1961				Yes	Yes
14.	Minimum Wages Act, 1948					Yes	Yes
15.	Relevant provisions of Indian Penal Code		Yes	Yes
16.	Relevant provisions of Code of Criminal Procedure	Yes	Yes
17.	Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, 1986 	No	Yes
18.	Payment of Wages Act, 1936				No	Yes
19.	Plantations Labour Act, 1951				No	Yes
20.	Workmen`s Compensation Act, 1923			No	Yes
21.	Beedi and Cigar Workers (Conditions of Employment)	No	Yes
	Act, 1966
22.	Cinematograph Act, 1952					No	Yes
23.	Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act, 1971		Yes	No
24.	Pre-natal Diagnostic Techniques (Regulation and 	Yes	No
	Prevention of Misuse) Act, 1994 
25.	Juvenile Justice Act, 1986				Yes	No
26.	Child Marriage Restraint act, 1929			Yes	No
27.	Foreign Marriage Act, 1969				Yes	No
28.	Guardians and Wards Act. 1890				Yes	No
29.	Indian Succession Act, 1925				Yes	No
30.	Married Women`s Property Act, 1874			Yes	No
31.	Hindu Marriage Act, 1955				Yes	No
32.	Hindu Succession Act, 1956				Yes	No
33.	Indian Divorce Act, 1869				Yes	No
34.	Hindu Minority and Guardianship Act, 1956		Yes	No
35.	Hindu Adoption and Maintenance Act, 1956		Yes	No
36.	Special Marriage Act, 1954				Yes	No
37.	Muslim Personal Law (Shariat) Application Act, 1937	Yes	No
38.	Relevant provisions of Indian Evidence Act		Yes	No
39.	National Commission for Women, Act. 1990		Yes	No
40.	Converts Marriage Dissolution act, 1866			Yes	No
41.	Mental Health Act, 1987					Yes	No
42.	Cine Workers and Cinema Theatre Workers (Regulation of	Yes	No
	Employment) Act, 1981
43.	Mines Act, 1952						Yes	No
44.	Christian Marriage Act, 1872				Yes	No

NCW has given certain comments on the draft Christian Marriage Bill. 2000 proposed by the Legislative Department.