In a recent submission to the Supreme Court, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and West Bengal have been highlighted as the leading states in child marriage rates in India. This alarming revelation has brought renewed attention to the persistent issue of underage marriages in the country, despite various legal and social efforts to curb the practice. The Supreme Court was informed that these three states are grappling with significant numbers of child marriages, indicating deep-rooted cultural and socio-economic factors that continue to drive this regressive practice.
The data presented to the court underscores a troubling trend that contradicts India's legal framework designed to protect minors from early marriages. The Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, , categorically sets the legal marriageable age at for girls and for boys. Despite this, the prevalence of child marriages in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and West Bengal suggests a persistent gap between legislation and on-ground realities.
In Tamil Nadu, social customs and economic pressures are cited as primary contributors to the high rates of child marriage