Annual Report - National Human Rights Commission

Annexure 18
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D.O. No.8/3/95 – PRP&P March 17, 2005
Dear
The Child Marriage Restraint Act, 1929 (CMRA) has been in force since 1929. The objective of
the legislation has been to restrain solemnization of child marriages as it is punishable under the
Act.
2. The Act has been in force for almost 75 years. However, it is unfortunate that the evil of child
marriage continues to exist even today in a few States like Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Madhya
Pradesh, Jharkhand, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh etc. It is on ‘Akshya Trutiya’, popularly known as
‘Akha Teej’ when hundreds of child marriages are performed in violation of the CMRA.
3. You would agree that the prevalence of the practice of child marriage is a stigma on the
society. In order to eradicate this evil, there is need to generate public awareness so that the
people at large are educated about the demerits of child marriage as well as the prohibition
contained in the Act. I would request that a systematic effort should be made by the concerned
Department in the States/Union Territories in organising awareness programmes/campaigns to
educate people as well as sensitise them through the print and electronic media on the scourge of
child marriage to eliminate this evil practice.
With regards,
Yours sincerely,
Sd/-
(A.S. Anand)
To
The Chief Minister/Administrators of all States/Union Territories
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