Section 2 of PCMA : Section 2: Definitions

Explanation using Example

Imagine a situation where a 20-year-old man and a 17-year-old girl are being pressured by their families to get married. A concerned neighbor, aware of the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006, informs a Child Marriage Prohibition Officer about the planned wedding.

In this context, the Act defines the girl as a "child" because she has not completed eighteen years of age. The planned marriage is a "child marriage" since one of the "contracting parties," the girl, is a child. The Child Marriage Prohibition Officer, as defined in the Act, has the authority to take action to prevent the marriage and protect the girl's rights. The case could be brought before the "district court" as defined, which in this area might be the Family Court, to obtain a legal order to stop the marriage.