Justice Delayed: Conviction Rates in Child Marriage Cases Alarmingly Low

A recent report reveals that the conviction rate under the Prevention of Child Marriage Act is just 11%, with only 181 out of 3,563 cases concluded in 2022. The country faces a 19-year backlog in pending cases. Despite challenges, stricter enforcement in Assam has led to a significant decline in child marriages.

The conviction rate under the Prevention of Child Marriage Act stands at a troubling 11%, as revealed by a new report. In 2022, out of the total 3,563 child marriage cases listed for trial, only 181 were concluded successfully.

The report highlights an alarming 19-year backlog in pending cases, according to data from the India Child Protection research team and the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights. Despite 3,365 unresolved cases, only one child marriage case per district was registered for prosecution in 2022.

A multi-faceted approach combining primary data from 1,132 villages in Assam and secondary data from the National Family Health Survey-5 and Crime in India Reports was used in this study. Remarkably, Assam saw an 81% reduction in child marriage between 2021-22 and 2023-24, attributing the success to strict law enforcement. Ninety-eight percent of respondents acknowledged the effectiveness of stringent measures.

(With inputs from agencies.)