Guwahati, March 20: Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday said that in sync with the government’s “mission” to end child marriages in the state by the year 2026, special advocates would be appointed against each child marriage case in the state to ensure a high conviction rate.
Notably, about 4300 cases related to child marriages were till Thursday registered since the drive against the offence was launched in January this year and charge-sheets have been filed about 800 of these cases.
“We have allocated Rs 200 crore in the state Budget 2023-24 so that special advocates are appointed against each case so that there is conviction. Our government will adopt the strictest measures to ensure that every person involved in the offence is convicted in accordance with law. We will arrest offenders every two to three months and take all measures to end child marriages by the year 2026,” Sarma said while replying to a question during the Question Hour of the ongoing Budget Session of Assam Legislative Assembly on Monday.
“Awareness drives by gaon panchayat secretaries will be conducted across the villages and help-lines will be opened for the victims to lodge complaints. We are taking a series of measures in the long run,” the chief minister said.
Warning that no offender will be left out of the purview of law, Sarma said that individuals found marrying girls below the eligible age or forcing girls to bear children below the age of 14 will face a jail term of 14 years,” the chief minister warned.
“According to Section 5 (1) of the POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act) Act, 2012, whoever commits penetrative sexual assault on a minor girl is liable and shall be punished with rigorous imprisonment…no protection will be given to the husband also,” he said.
Justifying the state government’s clampdown on child marriage offenders, amidst criticism by Opposition legislators, the chief minister said that till the POCSO Act, is in statute, we have to clamp the Act on violators of the Act…the police have to act according to the provisions of the Act. Hence, even today, the persons arrested in child marriage have not been able to get bail. I believe, there will be conviction of 90 percent of the cases, where married girls below the eligible age have given birth,” Sarma said.
It may be mentioned that state finance minister Ajanta Neog, while presenting the state budget in the Assembly on Thursday, announced that a new mission would be set up in the women and child development department with an allocation of Rs 200 crore in a bid to prevent child marriages in the state and eradicate the menace by the end of the year 2026.