Mandamus denied as action taken; court directs age verification in mass marriages to prevent child marriages.

This writ petition is filed seeking a direction to the third respondent to take necessary preventive and regulatory measures to monitor mass marriage schemes and functions so as to prevent occurrence of child marriages.

2.Mr.D.Sasikumar, learned Additional Government Pleader, accepts notice for the respondents 1 and 3 and Mr.E.Antony Sahaya Prabakar, learned Additional Public Prosecutor accepts notice for the respondents 2, 4 and 5. In view of the order proposed to be passed in this writ petition, notice to the sixth respondent is dispensed with.

3.By consent of both parties, this writ petition is taken up for final disposal at the time of admission itself.

4.The contention of the petitioner is that during the year 2023, a mass marriage function was conducted in connection with the 85^th birthday celebration of a public personality, wherein about 85 couples were married. In that mass marriage, one of the brides from Thanjavur District was a minor girl aged about 16 years at the time of marriage. Hence, the petitioner seeks a direction to follow some regulatory measures while conducting such mass marriage.

5.The learned Additional Government Pleader appearing for the respondents 1 and 3, on instructions, submitted that action has already been initiated under the provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012 and the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006.

6.In view of the above submission, no further direction is required in this regard. However, this Court deems it appropriate to direct the third respondent to ensure that whenever mass marriage functions are conducted, it is verified that the parties to the marriage have attained the legal age, namely 18 years in the case of the bride.

7.With the above direction, this writ petition is dismissed.