- (1.) The affidavit filed by the Additional Chief Secretary, Home Affairs Department and Home Secretary, report filed by the Secretary, Women and Child Development and Social Welfare Department and the affidavit filed by the Secretary, Health Department in Court today are taken on record.
(2.) In the affidavit filed by the Home Secretary, district-wise details of the cases in relation to violation of child rights of all forms till 15th June, 2020 has been disclosed. Contrary to the earlier report, this affidavit spells out in detail and to the satisfaction of this Court the nature of the violation of child rights and the steps taken by the police authorities in connection with such reported cases. Most of the reports, state that there have been no instance of child trafficking, however, child marriage during this period in most of the districts have been rampant and with the assistance of the DALSA and the police authorities many of such child marriages could be prevented.
(3.) This alarming rise of child marriages during this lockdown period has given us a strong impression that these child marriages may be in the garb of child trafficking and we, accordingly, direct the Superintendent of Police of every districts to investigate into the cases regarding child marriage and to find out if such child marriages are for economic consideration or under the garb of child trafficking. It is needless to mention that the perpetrators of these child marriages should be dealt with in accordance with law and cases should be registered against them without any delay.;