AGARTALA, July 18: Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha has said the state government is considering making marriage registration mandatory for all social weddings in a bid to curb child marriage in the state.
According to 2020 data from the state’s Social Education and Social Welfare Department, Tripura ranks third in India in child marriages — after West Bengal and Bihar.
“The government is contemplating preventing child marriage by introducing pre-marriage registration for social marriages. We will also explore necessary legal provisions to implement this. For this, submission of birth certificates will be made mandatory,” Saha said while addressing a government programme in Gandhigram, West Tripura, on Thursday.
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Saha said that if birth certificates are made a provision for marriage registration, the ages of the boys and girls will automatically come to light.
Girls should be at least 18 years old and boys at least 21 years old for social marriage under the existing legislation, he added.
Urging people to come forward to prevent child marriage and raise awareness about it, he said a girl from the minority community in the state recently received an award from President Droupadi Murmu for protesting against child marriage.
“Others should draw inspiration from her,” the CM said.
Speaking on the occasion, Saha also raised alarm over the drug trade and said prominent people are involved in the business for financial gain.
“Many well-known people in society are engaged in the drug trade for money. But let it be clear — no one will be spared if they get caught in the clutches of the law,” he warned. (PTI)
