STAFF REPORTER
GUWAHATI: The Assam Government has designated all the gaon panchayat secretaries in the state as child marriage prohibition officers. The State Cabinet took this decision recently, and the Home Department issued an official notification in this regard.
According to the notification of the Home Department, the Government designated gaon panchayat secretaries as child marriage prohibition officers under the provisions of Section 16 of “The Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006.” The notification also said, “The Child Marriage Prohibition Officers will lodge FIRs under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offenses Act, 2012 (as amended in 2019) or the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006, as the case may be.”
The Assam Police carried out a drive against child marriages, leading to the arrest of husbands, kazis, priests, and others.
The duty of the Child Marriage Prohibition Officer are (a) to prevent solemnization of child marriages by taking such action as he may deem fit; (b) to collect evidence for the effective prosecution of persons contravening the provisions of this Act; (c) to advise either individual cases or counsel the residents of the locality generally not to indulge in promoting, helping, aiding or allowing the solemnization of child marriages; (d) to create awareness of the evil which results from child marriages; (e) to sensitize the community on the issue of child marriages; (f) to furnish such periodical returns and statistics as the State Government may direct; and (g) to discharge such other functions and duties as may be assigned to him by the State Government.
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