The Women and Child Development Department has directed all child marriage prohibition officers to take action if they get information from authorities or owners of wedding halls or mandapams that a child marriage is taking place.
This comes in the wake of a 2019 Kerala State Commission for Protection for Child Rights direction that before marriages are solemnised in wedding halls or mandapams, the authorities of these facilities should ask for age proof of the bride and the groom.
If the bride or the groom are found to be underage, the hall authorities should inform the officials concerned before the marriages take place so that these can be prevented in time. The commission had asked the Women and Child Development Director to issue an order that all child marriage prohibition officers should act immediately on receiving such information to prevent such marriages.
