§ MR. COZENS-HARDY (Norfolk, N.)asked the Under Secretary of State for India, Whether he is aware that in the Punjab Civil Code there is an express enactment that the Court shall not compel either party to complete a child marriage against his or her will; whether similar enactments are in force in other parts of India; and, whether the Government are willing to assimilate the law in Bombay to the law in the Punjab in this respect?
§ THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE (Sir JOHN GORST) (Chatham)There was such a prevision in the Punjab Civil Code; but that Code ceased to have the force of law in 1872. I am not aware that similar enactments are in force in other parts of India; and as to the rest of the Question I refer to the answer given to a similar Question on Friday.