There is a provision of two years rigorous imprisonment and a fine of up to one lakh rupees for violation of the Child Marriage Act-2006. There is no provision of jail for women. With the addition of the Poxo Act, the provisions will be tightened.
Statewide campaign against child marriage will run in Assam
The BJP government of Assam has issued an order to take action under the POCSO Act on marriages below the age of 14 years. This decision was taken after discussion in the cabinet meeting. According to Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, panchayat secretaries in all 2197 gram panchayats of the state will be designated as child marriage prevention officers, who will get FIRs registered in such cases.
The question is why such a strict law was needed in Assam? Child Marriage Prohibition Act 2006 is already in force in the country. Then why was the decision taken to add this POCSO Act? Experts are saying that there is scope for getting bail easily in many sections of the old law. Under the Poxo Act, the accused cannot get bail.
today’s big news
The condition of Assam is also bad in terms of early marriage and pregnancy. There has been a rise in maternal and child mortality. In such a situation, a need was felt to launch a statewide campaign on a large scale. Let’s try to understand in five points.
- Child Marriage Statistics: On an average, more than two out of every 10 girls in the country are married before the age of 18. On the other hand, according to the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5), the average child marriage in Assam is 31 percent. That is, 31 percent of marriages are taking place below the age of 18. In Jorhat and Sivasagar, which are considered progressive, this figure is around 25 percent.
- Girls becoming mothers at an early age: 11.7 percent of girls in Assam are getting pregnant at a young age. This is a big proof of child marriage happening in large numbers. The figure is even more alarming in the border district of Dhubri, where 50 per cent of marriages are taking place at a young age. In such a situation, girls have to become mothers at an early age.
- Maternal Mortality Rate: According to the data released by the Registrar General of India in 2022, Assam is the state with the highest maternal mortality rate in the country, while it is at number three in terms of infant mortality rate. According to Himanta Sarkar, this decision was taken to curb the high mortality rate of mothers and children in the state.
- Older laws less strict: To prevent child marriage, the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006 is applicable in the country, which was implemented in 2007. According to this law, the age of marriage has been fixed at 21 for boys and 18 for girls. There is a provision of two years rigorous imprisonment and a fine of up to one lakh rupees for violating the law. On the other hand, there is a concession for women that they will not be jailed even if found guilty. There is a possibility of getting bail in the old law. This will not happen with the addition of the POCSO Act.
- Impact in Karnataka: Before Assam, in Karnataka too, the BJP government has curbed child marriage through strict legal provision. Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma says that the Karnataka government has stopped more than 11,000 child marriages by running a statewide campaign and caught more than 10,000 child marriage couples. He believes that the statewide campaign will have a big impact in Assam as well.
: Language Inputs