The Government of India has enacted the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006 (PCMA) repealing the Child Marriage Restraint Act (CMRA) of 1929. PCMA was notified in the Gazette of India on 11th January, 2007 and has been enforced w.e.f 1st November, 2007. PCMA fills in two major gaps of the earlier legislation. One, the PCMA seeks to prohibit child marriages rather than only restraining them; and secondly, it identifies authorities responsible for prevention of the child marriages and for prosecution of those violating the Act.

The important features of the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006, can be broadly categorized into three broad areas: Prevention of child marriages, Protection of victims of child marriage, and Prosecution of offenders.

The state Government has appointed Child Development Project Officer's as child marriage Prohibition Officers. The Director of Social Justice, Thiruvananthapuram is the Child Marriage Prohibition Officer. The number of cases registered has been 2223 during the period November 2007 to November 2009.

For more details click here:-