Kakinada: Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Konaseema collector Himanshu Shukla on Friday instructed officials to make the district child marriages free, as mandated by law.
He participated in the child marriages eradication district-level committee meeting in Amalapuram.
The collector said child marriages are against law. If anybody encourages them, they will get stringent punishment. He suggested that committees be formed at the mandal-level, consisting of tahsildar, a sub-inspector and anganwadi supervisors to implement the Child Marriage Restrain Act. As per this act, the marriage of a girl below 18 years and boys before 21 years cannot be performed.
If anybody violates this law, they are liable for two years in jail and ₹1 lakh fine.
Himanshu Shukla instructed officials to make registration of marriages in village and ward secretariats compulsory with the help of women police. He asked priests, religious elders, photographers, videographers, marriage brokers and others involved in marriages to verify ages of both bride and bridegroom with their respective Aadhaar cards before they agree to play their role in the marriage.
