'Amendment to make child marriages void should be introduced soon'

There is great social acceptance of underage marriages in all communities and religions

Child marriages in India, says a report by UNICEF, have significantly decreased, but the rate of decline remains slow. The Supreme Court has struck down a legal clause that allowed intercourse with underage brides, but at present child marriages still remain valid, a situation that is expected to be addressed soon. Jayna Kothari, Supreme Court advocate and executive director of the Centre for Law & Policy Research, Bengaluru, tells Nikita Puri why despite the fall in numbers, there is no room for complacency on child marriages. Edited excerpts:

Despite the illegality of child marriages being enforced with penalties, how do