Karnataka drafts bill to make even attempt at child marriage punishable

Bengaluru: Not just child marriage but even attempts and preparations for child marriage will now be considered as punishable offences, with a prison term up to two years and a fine of Rs 1 lakh, according to a new Bill being proposed by the Karnataka government.

As per the existing Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006 — a law enacted by Parliament — the maximum imprisonment of two years and a fine of Rs 1 lakh are only applicable in cases of child marriage. The draft of the Prohibition of Child Marriage Bill, 2025, extends the same provisions to child engagements too.

The draft comes on the back of a meeting of deputy commissioners and zilla panchayat CEOs chaired by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on May 31, where the CM and Law Minister H K Patil discussed the need to clamp down on child engagements.

The Bill is expected to be tabled in the upcoming legislative session. Since the amendments are related to a Central Act, the Bill, once passed, will go to the President for her assent.

It considers the engagement of a minor for the purpose of marriage “null and void”.

A clause in Section 10 of the prevailing Act will be amended from “punishment for solemnising a child marriage” to “punishment for preparation and solemnising a child marriage”.

“Additionally, the amended section will cover those who abet or are involved in the preparation or engagement of child marriages. This expansion broadens the net of accountability, ensuring that not only those who conduct the marriage but also those who facilitate it, such as family members or community leaders, face legal consequences,” a note by the Parliamentary Affairs Department states.

Section 13A of the draft Bill mandates the courts to prohibit child engagements by issuing injunctions to a person or a group of persons arranging or performing child engagements.

“There have been numerous instances where engagements are made through contracts, which are not registered. Till now, only parents could be punished. Now all witnesses and concerned people will be punished,” Sridhar G, Secretary of the Parliamentary Affairs Department, told DH. 

Vasudev Sharma, executive director of Child Rights Trust, welcomed the move and termed it as a product of the struggles of the Initiative for Married Adolescent Girls’ Empowerment (IMAGE) and several children’s groups. 

“In the absence of this, lots of people were conducting child marriages but hiding them as engagements. People would only get to know about the marriage when the girl got pregnant. This amendment seeks to prevent that and is a step in the right direction.”  

However, Sharma noted that the government must also consider mandating free and compulsory education for all children up to the age of 18, which will ensure an alternative for children who aren’t getting betrothed or married.