New Delhi | June 18, 2025
The Supreme Court of India has stepped in to safeguard a 16-year-old girl who was allegedly married off against her will to a man twice her age as a means to settle her family’s financial dues.
A division bench of Justice Ujjal Bhuyan and Justice Manmohan passed protective directions on Tuesday, following a plea filed on behalf of the girl by a close friend. The Court was informed that the girl, a school-going minor from Bihar, was forcibly married to a 33-year-old man and subjected to abuse at her marital home.
According to submissions before the court, the child marriage was not only illegal under the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006, but also a violation of her fundamental rights. She was reportedly confined, denied education, and mistreated by her husband’s family. After fleeing to Delhi with help from a friend, the girl faced renewed threats, including a false kidnapping FIR lodged by her own relatives.
Recognizing the urgency of the situation, the Supreme Court:
• Directed Delhi and Bihar police to provide immediate protection to the girl and her friend.
• Instructed both states to file status reports on measures taken to ensure their safety.
• Made it clear that no coercion or influence should be used to compel the girl to return to her marital home.
“This Court cannot overlook the trauma of a minor whose rights are trampled in the name of custom or economic pressure,” said the bench.
The Court also acknowledged the girl’s aspiration to resume her education and stressed the importance of enabling her to lead a life free from fear and violence.
Key Legal Points:
• Section 3 of the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act allows such marriages to be declared voidable at the option of the minor.
• The girl, being below 18, is legally incapable of consenting to marriage.
• The police were warned against taking retaliatory action against the petitioner friend or their family.
Significance:
This intervention underscores the judiciary’s growing focus on child protection, agency, and autonomy, particularly in rural areas where economic distress often leads to exploitative practices.
