Mysore/Mysuru: “Child marriage is often wrongly viewed as the sole responsibility of the Department of Women and Child Development. In reality, eliminating child marriage requires coordinated action from the Education, Health and other Departments,” said Mysuru Deputy Commissioner (DC) G. Lakshmikanth Reddy while addressing a workshop on making Mysuru a child-marriage-free district at Kalamandira in city recently.

Pointing out that Mysuru is considered an educationally advanced district, the DC noted that 224 child marriages were prevented in 2024, yet 56 marriages — mostly involving girls — still took place. In 2025, authorities stopped 268 child marriages, but 24 were reported. “If child marriages continue despite our efforts, it reflects our collective failure,” he rued.

He added that Anganwadi workers, ASHA workers, PDOs and health staff often receive information about impending child marriages in villages but fail to act decisively. To strengthen prevention, a training programme will be organised to help officials intervene effectively and make Mysuru a child-marriage-free district.

Supreme Court directives

Principal District and Sessions Judge Usharani, who is also Chairperson of the District Legal Services Authority (DLSA), said child marriage deprives children of their childhood, education, play, rest and health, thereby destroying their future.

She reminded participants that the Supreme Court has issued directives to eliminate child marriage, recognising it as a serious violation of children’s rights. Under Section 13 of the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006, authorities are empowered to issue preventive orders and stop suspicious mass marriages.

Senior Civil Judge K.K. Amarnath, Member-Secretary of DLSA, said Police Stations regularly receive complaints of child marriages and sexual assaults involving underage girls, but awareness remains low.

During the workshop, Anganwadi and ASHA workers who had successfully prevented child marriages and filed complaints, were honoured.

The event was attended by ZP CEO S. Yukesh Kumar, Karnataka State Commission for Protection of Child Rights Member S. Manju, MCC Commissioner Shaikh Tanveer Asif, SP Mallikarjun Baladandi, Child Protection Commission Member Venkatesh, UNICEF Child Protection Project Regional Coordinator K. Raghavendra Bhat, Directorate of Child Protection Director C.V. Sneha, Additional DC Dr. P. Shivaraju, DCP (Crime and Traffic) K.S. Sundar Raj and Deputy Director of Women and Child Development B. Basavaraju among others.