Mumbai Apr 18 PTI The Bombay High Court on Monday asked the Maharashtra government to file an affidavit detailing what steps it has taken towards preventing the solemnisation of child marriages in the state A division bench of Justices Amjad Sayed and Abhay Ahuja noted that there are hardly any cases registered in the state related to child marriage offences The bench was hearing a public interest litigation PIL that raised issues related to child marriages in Maharashtra and non-implementation of the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act PCA The Act prohibits solemnisation of marriage of a boy who is less than 21 years of age and a girl who is less than 18 years old As per the petition the Rules to be framed under the Act is still in the pipeline The state government shall file its affidavit In the affidavit the government shall say what steps it has taken on the issue the court said It appears that there are hardly any case registered under the Act Justice Sayed said The court will hear the plea further on June 13 Advocates Asim Sarode and Ajinkya Udane appearing for the petitioner claimed before the court that around one lakh cases of child marriages take place per year across the state As per the PIL the effects of early marriage have devastating consequences for a girls health and other aspects of her life Child brides are frequently deprived for their rights to health education girls married young are far less likely to stay in school with lifelong economic impacts Child brides are also at greater risk of experiencing dangerous complications in pregnancy and childbirth contracting HIVAIDS and suffering domestic violence the plea noted The petition suggested certain steps for effective implementation of the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act PTI SP RSY RSY
Mumbai Feb 21 PTI The Bombay High Court on Monday dismissed a public interest litigation challenging a notification issued by Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation BMC chief for suggestions and objections from citizens on the proposed delimitation of civic wards A division bench of Justices Amjad Sayed and Abhay Ahuja also imposed a cost of Rs 25000 each on the two petitioners- Nitesh Ranjhans Singh BJP and Sagar Devre MNS The court while dismissing the plea said it was accepting the statement made by the State Election Commission SEC that due to lack of manpower it has appointed state officers as its delegates for election purposes and that any final decision on the delimitation of wards would be taken by the commission only The cash rich BMC is controlled by the Shiv Sena and the civic polls are due later this year The public interest ligitation PIL had challenged the legality and propriety of the BMC notification of February 1 inviting suggestions and objections from the public on the proposed delimitation of wards to increase their number from 227 to 236 ahead of the corporation elections The petitioners main contention was that BMC Commissioner I S Chahal who had issued the notification was not authorised to do so The SEC had earlier told the court that it had delegated the power to the BMC Commissioner for the purpose of elections As per the SEC when such powers are delegated to state officers they act as delegates of the election commission and not as an officer of the state government The BMC and the SEC had informed the court that the final date for submitting the suggestions and objections was February 14 and 816 letters were received as on that date An IAS officer Manoj Sounik who is presently additional chief secretary finance has been appointed to conduct a hearing on the objections and suggestions of the public A report would be submitted to the SEC on March 1 and a final decision on the formation of new wards rests with the State Election Commissioner PTI SP GK GK
New Delhi [India], December 16 (ANI): The Supreme Court Collegium in its meeting held on December 14 has approved the proposal for the appointment of three additional judges of the Bombay High Court as permanent judges.
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