MYSORE: Expressing concern over child marriage and the practice of preventing girls from getting married once they turn 15 at Gandettur village, High Court Judge Justice KL Manjunath called for the rooting out of such social stigma.
At the inaugural of a legal awareness programme here on Saturday, he pointed out that lack of education was the main reason behind such superstitions.
“It is the duty of the four estates to bring such girls to the mainstream. Judiciary has intervened to eradicate this social stigma after it was reported in the media,” he added. Every family should register its marriages so that, in case of disputes it would help the aggrieved to claim maintenance, he said. The judge also warned that parents encouraging child marriage would attract two years’ imprisonment and a fine of up to Rs 1 lakh.
District Minister S A Ramdas said child marriage was practised even in Mysore. Referring to ‘Akshara-Arakshaka’ scheme, he said that about 69 girls discontinued their education because of child marriage.