SC seeks latest details on child marriages across the country

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday asked the petitioners, who have questioned the intent of the Centre and states about implementation of the anti-child marriage law, to furnish latest inputs about the decadent practice which is still prevalent.

A bench of Justices Madan B Lokur and Deepak Gupta, after perusing the plea, said that certain figures mentioned in the petition were of 2006.

"We are asking for latest figures. These are 2006 figures. You file an additional affidavit and give us the details," the bench asked senior advocate Colin Gonsalves, who was appearing for the petitioners.

Gonsalves sought time to furnish the latest details after which the court posted the case for hearing after four weeks.

The petitioners, Society for Enlightenment and Voluntary Action and National Campaign Committee for Eradication of Bonded Labour, have claimed that the provisions of the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act 2006 were not being implemented effectively by the Centre and states, which has led to rampant child marriages in the country.

The plea, while referring to various reports, has said that the 2011 census report had revealed that child marriage was "still rampant, with almost one in every three women having been married off while she is still under the age of 18 years".