Date:13/05/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/05/13/stories/2006051321090300.htm

Other States - Bihar

MLA comes under scanner for child marriages

Special Correspondent

PATNA: The state Commission for Women has set the ball rolling for establishing the alleged role of an independent MLA in helping the conduct of marriages of 38 minor couples in Dehri-on-Sone in Rohtas district last month.

The Commission chairperson Manju Prakash has direct the Rohtas district administration to produce before it the 38 couples whose marriage were solemnised at a function in Jharkhandi temple in Dehri-on-Sone on April 18 for verification of age on May 18. The Commission would be setting up a medical board to ascertain the age of the 38 couples. The Commission intended to serve a notice on the Dehri-on-Sone MLA P.K. Joshi should the medical board find that the mass marriage comprised of under-aged boys and girls.The Commission has also directed the Rohtas district welfare office to appear before it and explain his conduct in failing to prevent the marriage of ineligible boys and girls.

The Rohtas district administration has, consequently, issued a notice to Mr. Joshi to provide the list of the couples he had helped in getting married. The accusation against Mr. Joshi was that he had provided help in kind to these couples said to hailing from low income group families.