BOMBAY HC DIRECTS SURVEY OF CHILD MARRIAGE IN TRIBAL AREAS

The Bombay High Court directed magistrates and district collectors across Maharashtra to conduct a survey and identify areas where child marriages are still prevalent. A bench of Chief Justice (CJ) Dipankar Datta and Justice MS Karnik was hearing a PIL concerning malnutrition deaths in tribal areas of the State.

During the hearing, CJ Datta brought up the issue of child marriages in the tribal areas leading to pregnancies, which was a likely cause of malnutrition. “I have learned that girls are married off at 12-13 and they conceive before they are 15; which is why the mortality rate of the mother and child is higher.”

He accepted that tribal area has their customs and practices but expressed that if the people from tribal areas were sensitized about the law, then the girl child could be protected.

The Petitioner informed the Court that about 16 pockets where child marriages are prevailing. The Court was further informed that since 1993 the HC had passed several orders and directions to address the issues of malnutrition.

The Bench also directed the petitioner-advocates to present the names of the districts that were prone to the above-mentioned issues.