In a survey of the 70 districts with the highest incidences of child marriages in India, over seven districts in Rajasthan have the most such among girls, while Maharashtra, with 14 districts, recorded the highest number of child marriages among boys.
The 70 districts account for more than 14 per cent of the country's population below the legal age, and contribute to over 21 per cent of all child marriages in the country.
The report was prepared by the National Commission of the Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) with Young Lives, an NGO working on child rights. Prepared from data from the Census 2011, the study looked at the lives of over 7 million boys and 5 million girls from across the 70 districts who were married before they reached the legal ages of 21 years and 18 years, respectively.
While releasing the report, NCPCR chairman Stuti Kacker said that the statistical analysis of the Census data will serve as a tool for states. "These data analyses will help state look for suitable schemes to bring down the numbers," she said.
In Maharashtra, districts like Ahmednagar, Bhandara, Chandanpur, Dhule, Pune, Sangli, Jalgaon, Jalna, Kolhapur, Latur, Mumbai, Mumbai Suburban, Prabhani, Satara, Sindhudurg and Thane showed an increase in child marriage numbers between 2001 and 2011. Among these, Bhandara registered a five-fold increase of marriages among girls and a more than twenty-fold increase in boys' child marriage.
In Rajasthan, districts like Ajmer, Tonk, Rajsamand, Jhalawar, Bundi, Dausa, Alwar, Bhilwara, etc, showed an increase.
Supreme Court judge Justice AK Sikri said that the conflict between several laws creates confusions for authorities.
"If two minors elope and have a child, under the Hindu Marriages Act, the marriage is not void. Even the Indian Penal Code recognises marriages between children below 15 years. Under section 376, marital rape is punishable only if the wife is below 15 years. This implies that the marriage is recognised," he said.
