Observing that child marriages are a violation of human rights, the Madras High Court today directed police to provide necessary protection to a boy and his minor sister if their father violates the undertaking that he would not marry off his daughter.
Justice S Vimala of the Madurai bench passed the order on a petition by one S Venkatesan of Guziliamparai in Dindigul district who charged his father with trying to marry off his sister against her wishes.
“The child marriage prohibition officer should create awareness regarding the evil of child marriages and sensitise the community on the issue of child marriages,” the judge said.
She told the father he was not expected to conduct the marriage of his daughter till she attains marriageable age.
The petitioner submitted that their father was trying to marry off his sister to their cousin against her wishes.
The Judge observed that child marriage was a violation of children’s human rights, which is prohibited by Indian and international laws.
However, it continued to rob millions of girls under 18 years of age, of their childhood, she added.
Education was essential for girls to be able to make informed decisions about their future. But child marriage forced them out of education and threw them into a life filled with risks and danger, the judge said.
The petitioner said he and his sister preferred to be in the custody of their maternal aunt and did not want to go with their father.
( Source – PTI )
