Child marriage and forced marriage law
The Child Marriage Act prohibits marriage where the woman is under 18 or the man is under 21 for this law. Adult forced marriage is addressed through autonomy, protection and the specific coercive acts used, not one universal offence label.
On this page
What this situation can include
- Child marriage risk may appear as removal from school, falsified age, hurried travel, withheld documents, an undisclosed ceremony or pressure on a child to describe the match as voluntary.
- For an adult, forced marriage may involve threats, confinement, document seizure, forced transport, violence, threats to a chosen partner, economic punishment or drugging. Family preference is not the same as freely given consent.
- People who perform or facilitate a ceremony and guardians who promote or negligently fail to prevent it can have responsibility under the Act, subject to its provisions.
What this may mean
A child marriage is generally voidable at the option of the person who was a child, with an application period tied to attaining majority. It is void in certain specified circumstances involving enticement, force, deceit, sale or trafficking.
An injunction can be sought before the ceremony on information that a child marriage is arranged or about to be solemnised. Breach of an injunction is punishable.
For an adult, describe each coercive act to police or a lawyer. Constitutional liberty and equality protect personal choice, while criminal and domestic-violence provisions depend on relationship and conduct.
If safety may be urgent
- Call 112 if travel, confinement or violence is imminent; call 1098 where a person under 18 needs protection. Share age proof, location and ceremony or travel details if available.
- Use a safe device and preserve identity, school, ticket, invitation and threat records before the family can remove access.
Possible next steps
Act before the ceremony
Contact police, the Child Marriage Prohibition Officer, district administration or Child Helpline and ask about an injunction and safe care.
Preserve reliable age evidence
Keep birth, school and official identity records and identify any document alleged to have been falsified.
Get time-sensitive advice after a child marriage
Ask legal aid about voidability, limitation, maintenance, residence, custody and whether the circumstances make the marriage void under the Act.
What may happen after seeking help or reporting
- A Magistrate may stop a planned child marriage by injunction. Police and the Child Marriage Prohibition Officer may intervene and investigate alleged facilitation.
- A court may consider annulment and consequential relief. The legal status is not identical for every child marriage.
- An adult reporting coercion may receive protection and investigation of specific offences; authorities should not force family mediation.
Important limits and cautions
- Do not say every child marriage is automatically void. The statute distinguishes voidable marriages and specified void circumstances.
- Age and filing time limits are central. Seek advice promptly and do not rely on an informal promise that the ceremony will be cancelled.
- Protection should preserve education, communication and autonomy rather than replacing family control with unnecessary institutional restriction.
Words a supporter can use
Explaining the legal distinction
“If either person is below the Act's age threshold, we can ask for child-marriage prevention now. If you are an adult, tell us exactly how your movement, documents or safety are being controlled so the right protection and offences can be identified.”
What institutions must do
Prevent rather than wait
- Act on credible plans, preserve age evidence, use injunction and protection routes, and record coercive acts without compulsory mediation.
Protect attendance and confidential reporting
- Notice abrupt withdrawal, preserve age records, follow child-protection duties and do not disclose a student's location to a threatening person.
Related issue guides
Sources and publication record
Reviewed and approved by the project team · Sources checked . Reviewed and approved by the project team against the official sources listed on this page. This is general legal information, not advice for an individual proceeding.
- Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006India Code, Legislative Department
- The Constitution of India (official 2024 edition)Legislative Department, Ministry of Law and Justice
- Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023India Code, Legislative Department
- Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023India Code, Legislative Department
- Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005India Code, Legislative Department
- Child Helpline 1098Ministry of Women and Child Development
- Emergency Response Support System 112Ministry of Home Affairs
- Free legal services and National Legal Aid Helpline 15100National Legal Services Authority