The PIL also sought directions to form a committee, along with members of Child Line and other NGOs, to draft standard operating procedures to properly implement the 2006 Act. (Representational image) Maintaining that there hardly seemed any FIRs registered against prevailing child marriages, the Bombay High Court on Monday asked the Maharashtra government to explain steps taken by it to stop child marriages. The HC was hearing a PIL filed by an NGO from Pune and other social activists recently seeking directions to the Maharashtra government to formulate rules for effective implementation of Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006, alleging under-reported and unreported incidents of child marriage in the state.
A division bench of Justices AA Sayed and Abhay Ahuja was hearing a plea filed by Child Marriage Prohibition Committee, Hadapsar in Pune, and others, through advocates Asim Sarode and Ajinkya Udane, stating that effects of early marriage has devastating consequences for a girl, and in the absence of rules, almost one lakh child marriages take place every year in the state and referring to a news report, claimed that there had been 1500 instances of child marriages in one district of the state in last two years.
It added that there is a requirement to set up a special juvenile police unit to work in coordination with various authorities. It also sought a system to rescue such victims, cancel the marriage and take penal action against parents.
The plea said that while the state women and child welfare department has claimed that no child marriages have taken place in the state for the last three years, such marriages continue to take place in tribal belts and backward regions.
The PIL also sought directions to form a committee, along with members of Child Line and other NGOs, to draft standard operating procedures to properly implement the 2006 Act.
Additional Government Pleader Reena Salunkhe, representing state authorities, told the bench that rules under the 2006 Act are formulated and a committee had been instituted to look into the effective implementation of the Act.
The bench wondered and said “there hardly seems to be any FIR registered” reflecting the number of the child marriages allegedly taking place in the state and asked the Maharashtra government to inform it on steps taken and proposed by it to deter the child marriages. Seeking affidavit in reply from state, the bench posted further hearing to June 13.
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