Now age will be recorded in wedding invitation letter, Maharashtra government may bring new rule

Maharashtra: The state government is considering a new initiative to effectively control social evil like child marriage. According to the proposal, it may be made mandatory to mention the date of birth of the bride and groom in wedding invitation cards. The government believes that this will make it easier to verify the age of the bride and groom at the time of marriage and will help the administration in stopping marriages of minors.

What did Aditi Tatkare say?

State Women and Child Development Minister Aditi Tatkare, while giving information in this regard in the Assembly, said that the government is seriously studying this proposal. He said that after implementation of such system in some other states, positive results have emerged and it has helped in curbing the incidents of child marriage. Keeping this experience in mind, the possibility of implementing such a system in Maharashtra is also being explored.

The government believes that if the date of birth is clearly recorded on the marriage certificate, it will be easier for the local administration, child protection units and concerned authorities to identify possible child marriages in time. Many times the administration gets information about the marriage when all the preparations have been completed, which makes it difficult to take action. With the new system, monitoring will be possible at the initial level itself.

What does the commission say?

Maharashtra State Commission for Protection of Child Rights has also recommended in this direction. The Commission says that making age related information mandatory in marriage invitation cards will increase accountability at both social and administrative levels. At present, the government is examining the legal, administrative and practical aspects of this proposal and discussions are going on with the concerned departments.

Under the proposed scheme, responsibilities not only of the families but also of other parties related to marriage can be fixed. This may include printing press, banquet hall, marriage hall, wedding office and other institutions related to the event. The government is considering that the role of these institutions should also be decided in ensuring mention of date of birth.

The minister indicated that if this rule is implemented then a provision for action against its violation will also be made. Experts believe that the incidence of child marriage can be significantly reduced by making all parties involved in the marriage process accountable.

Even today, incidents of child marriage occur in some rural and tribal areas of Maharashtra. In such a situation, the initiative of making date of birth mandatory in marriage magazines is not being considered as just an administrative step, but an important effort towards social awareness and protection of children’s rights.