Supreme Court Directs Ministry Of Women And Child Development To File Status Report Showing Steps Taken To Implement Prohibition Of Child Marriage Act

The Supreme Court directed the Ministry of Women and Child Development to file a status report elucidating steps taken by the union Government to implement the provisions of the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act. The direction was passed by a bench comprising CJI DY Chandrachud, Justice PS Narasimha, and Justice JB Pardiwala. 

At the outset, the counsel for petitioner informed the court that the issue of child marriage still continued to persist. To this, Additional Solicitor General of India Senior Advocate Madhavi Divan submitted that there was a bill which was pending since 2021 as per which the age of women to get married was to be raised at 21 years. She submitted that the same was pending before the Standing Committee. 

However, the bench noted that this would still not address the issue of implementation of the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act. Thus, the bench directed the Ministry of Women and Child Development to file an updated status report specifically elucidating the following

1. The data collected from various states bearing on the nature and extent of child marriages;

2. Steps taken to implement the provisions of the Prohibition of Child marriage Act 2006;

3. The policy formulated by the Union government to effectuate the purpose of the Act.

The bench added–

"The Union of India should also engage with the State governments in order to apprise the court on the compliance by states of the provision of Section 16(3) for the appointment of the child marriage Prohibition officer. Affidavit shall also clarify whether the officer so appointed or given other multifarious duties."

The matter is now listed in July 2023. 

Case Title: Society for Enlightenment and Voluntary Action And Anr. v. UoI And Ors. WP(C) No. 1234/2017 PIL

Click Here To Read/Download Order