Implementation of the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006 in Rural Rajasthan: An Empirical Evaluation of Institutional Deficiencies and Judicial Responses
Dr. Ramesh Kumar & Sunita Sharma
Published in IJMEER (Vol. 1, Issue 2, July 2026) · Pages 1-12 · ISSN: 3139-6003 · DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.21809155
Abstract
Despite comprehensive legislative prohibition under the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act (PCMA) 2006, child marriage remains prevalent in several rural pockets of Rajasthan. This paper presents an empirical evaluation of the operational effectiveness of Child Marriage Prohibition Officers (CMPOs), grassroots law enforcement challenges, and judicial responses across three districts (Tonk, Sawai Madhopur, and Baran). Utilizing court case data, CMPO performance metrics, and structured interviews with 18 stakeholders, the study highlights critical institutional deficiencies including multi-tasking CMPO roles without dedicated budget, procedural delays in obtaining ex parte injunctions, and persistent conflicts between personal laws and the PCMA. The study outlines targeted policy recommendations to strengthen enforcement mechanisms and community legal awareness.
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