Jaipur: The Rajasthan High Court has directed the state government to ensure that no child marriage takes place in the state, and said village heads and panchayat members will be held accountable if they are solemnised. The court’s order came on Wednesday ahead of the Akshay Tritiya on May 10, when many child marriages are solemnised in Rajasthan.
A division bench of the court, while hearing a PIL seeking the court’s intervention to prevent child marriages, noted that inspite of the Prohibition of Child Marriage act 2006 being in force, child marriages are still taking place in the state. The court said though there is a ati Raj Rules 1996, a duty is cast upon sarpanch to restrict child marriages. Thus, as an interim measure, we would direct the state to call for the report with regard to investigation done to prevent child marriages, which have taken place in the state,” the court said.