Karnataka High Court holds temple priests, managements, and marriage halls liable under the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act for facilitating minor weddings.
Justice M Nagaprasanna ruled that temple authorities and priests performing child marriages face prosecution under Section 11. Marriage halls and facilitators cannot claim exemption if they promote or permit such acts.
The court directs Child Development Officers to ensure that venues display notices prohibiting child marriage and its criminal penalties. Applies to temples, halls, and common wedding sites across Karnataka.
The court rejected the plea by the 27-year-old groom, his parents, and the minor bride’s family from the 2021 case. Ignorance of the law or current marital harmony does not erase the illegality of marrying a 16-year-old girl.
The judge emphasized that child marriage robs girls of education and future, calling it a social wrong, not a private matter. Law safeguards minors, outweighing customs or pandemic fears.
