The East Midnapore district administration, in a written directive to all block-level officials, has mandated that persons involved in the marriages of underage girls must be reported to police without delay.

This marks a departure from the longstanding practice of the district administration accepting written undertakings from parents of girls pledging they would not get their daughters married before they turned 18.

The new and more stringent directive — where FIRs must be slapped on the groom’s family and the Hindu priest or imam involved in the marriage — is being seen as a big step by this district administration towards curbing child marriage.

Written deputations are commonly accepted by other Bengal districts, including Birbhum and West Midnapore.

East Midnapore district sources said the decision was taken in the wake of a spike in child marriages during the lockdown in East Midnapore, and reports that out of 37 halted marriages in which written undertakings were accepted, nine marriages did take place a few days later.

Sources said that the order empowered BDOs, joint BDOs, block welfare officers, deputy magistrates and social welfare officers to file the FIRs.

“Through experience, we have seen that written undertakings are an eyewash and are not honoured. In many cases, the hands of the girl’s family are tied for social and economic reasons, and these marriages are eventually solemnised in secret,” said East Midnapore social welfare officer Purnendu Pouranik. “So from now, the very first step against the culpable persons will be an FIR,” he added.

According to the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006, the bride and her parents are not culpable for the offence of child marriage. The law dictates that the groom is liable to be imprisoned for two years or fined Rs 1 lakh or both.

Last week’s directive by the East Midnapore DM made clear that priests and imams would also be liable to the same penalties dictated by that law.

“The offences are cognisable and non-bailable,” said legal provision officer Alok Bera.

Sources said block and social welfare officials had been asked, starting this week, to conduct awareness events at religious places where marriages are held to make clear that age verification would be introduced in the process.

A meeting of panchayat pradhans was held in Tamluk earlier this week on the ways to implement the directive.

“If a potential bride’s age is ever in doubt, priests or marriage officials are compelled from now to do an Aadhaar check for age,” said a source.

Bids by desperate parents to get their underage daughters married off continue, especially in rural areas.

Last month in Howrah, the marriage of a 16-year-old girl from Tamluk was stopped by social welfare officials who took a written statement from the parents. Two weeks later, they got a tip-off that her wedding reception was taking place in the town. They took custody of the girl, who’s now at a Tamluk welfare home, and arrested the groom’s parents. “The onus should be on the groom’s family to not take such a step,” said a source.

In late August, families of two sisters in Moyna were asked to submit the same undertaking. A month later, their neighbours reported them both missing. Both the girls were rescued from underage marriages and are currently at a safe home.

“These incidents were the final straw in determining that legal action must be a part of the campaign against child marriage," said an officer.

The secretary of a Nandakumar NGO, Naba Kishore Sangha, which operates a safe home, welcomed the step.

“The district’s initiative in light of child marriage is long overdue. Strong legal action is the only way. It’s a good wake-up call,” said NGO secretary Amal Manna.