NEW DELHI: Jammu and Kashmir has reported some of the lowest numbers of child marriage cases in the country over the past three years, according to official figures tabled in Parliament. But officials and rights groups are urging continued vigilance, especially in rural pockets and conflict-affected areas where underreporting remains a concern.
Data shared by the Ministry of Women and Child Development in the Lok Sabha on Friday revealed that only five cases were registered in Jammu and Kashmir under the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act (PCMA), 2006, between 2020 and 2022 — one in 2020, two in 2021, and two in 2022. This places the Union Territory 30th out of 36 States and Union Territories in terms of reported cases. Neighbouring Ladakh, meanwhile, recorded zero cases in this period.
The source of the data is the Crime in India report published annually by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), which compiles state and Union Territory-wise information under the PCMA. Nationally, a total of 2,837 cases were registered over the same period, with Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, and Assam accounting for a significant share.
Although the figures for Jammu and Kashmir may appear encouraging, officials in the Union Territory stress that low reporting does not necessarily imply the complete absence of child marriages. “We cannot afford complacency,” said a senior official in the Social Welfare Department in Srinagar. “In regions where law enforcement faces multiple challenges, and where community pressure can suppress complaints, the real picture may differ.”
The Government of India, in response to the growing national concern, launched the Bal Vivah Mukt Bharat campaign in November 2024 to accelerate awareness and prevention. As part of the campaign, a dedicated portal has been rolled out to facilitate reporting and enable public access to details of Child Marriage Prohibition Officers (CMPOs) across India.
In Jammu and Kashmir, CMPOs have been appointed at the district level and are tasked with monitoring potential violations, counselling families, and intervening in cases reported through the Childline helpline (1098), which has now been integrated with the Emergency Response Support System (112). Additionally, the Union Territory benefits from programmes under Mission Shakti and Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, which include awareness campaigns in schools and communities.
Local NGOs working on child rights say that while government initiatives are in place, more grassroots engagement is needed. “We need stronger community-level messaging in Kashmiri, Dogri, and Ladakhi languages, especially through mosques, panchayats, and local influencers,” said a representative of a child rights group based in Anantnag.
With child marriage often rooted in poverty, gender bias, and lack of education, experts say Jammu and Kashmir must integrate anti-child marriage messaging with broader efforts around girl child education and adolescent health.
As per current national ranking based on reported PCMA cases from 2020 to 2022, Jammu and Kashmir stands among the six lowest reporting regions in India — alongside Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Delhi, and the Northeastern States of Manipur and Tripura — but the government has said that it remains committed to zero tolerance on the issue
