Supreme Court Intervenes to Protect Bihar Girl Seeking Annulment from Child Marriage

New Delhi, Jun 18 (PTI) The Supreme Court on Wednesday issued an order to ensure the safety of a minor girl from Bihar who is seeking to annul her marriage. The court directed the Bihar director general of police and the Delhi police commissioner to provide adequate protection due to threats she and her friend claim to be facing. The bench, comprising Justices Ujjal Bhuyan and Manmohan, emphasized the necessity for authorities to maintain contact with the girl and provide essential support.

The girl, aged 16-and-a-half, alleged that she was forcibly married on December 9, 2024, and is now being pressured by her husband and in-laws to remain in the marriage, primarily due to financial investments they made for the wedding. The bench has agreed to hear the case and has called for responses from the Bihar administration and her husband and in-laws by July 15.

According to her petition, the girl desires to pursue her education to become a teacher or a lawyer, but her husband, a civil contractor, claims that her parents owe money, obliging her to stay married and forgo her educational aspirations. The petition highlights she was assured she could return to her parents shortly after the wedding, but this promise was broken, and she was kept confined by her father-in-law.

The case has been filed as a writ petition by her friend, who fears for the girl's safety and wishes to highlight her plight as a victim of child marriage, seeking the Supreme Court's protective jurisdiction. The girl and her friend claim they fear for their lives if they return to Bihar. Described as a "hapless victim of child marriage," the girl seeks the annulment of her marriage and the prosecution of her in-laws and husband under the Prohibition of Child Marriages Act, 2006.

In addition, she has sought the intervention of authorities to ensure both her safety and that of her friend. The case presents a critical examination of child marriage practices, highlighting the need for legal redress and protection for vulnerable minors.

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