Question : REVIEW OF LAW RELATING TO WOMEN



(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?

Answer given by the minister


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.