Suo motu cases against husbands, door-to-door verification drives, and action against priests and qazis — Suvendu Adhikari unveils a multi-pronged plan after data shows Murshidabad and South 24 Parganas leading nearly 60,000 underage institutional births
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West Bengal CM Announces POCSO Crackdown on child marriage and underage pregnancy in the state, declaring that the government will invoke the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006 against offenders.
Key Announcements
Speaking at a press conference at the state secretariat, Nabanna, following a cabinet meeting, Adhikari laid out a multi-pronged enforcement plan:
- Suo motu POCSO cases: The state government will directly register cases against husbands of girls who become mothers before the age of 18, without waiting for a formal complaint.
- House-to-house drives: Authorities have been ordered to conduct door-to-door checks across the state to identify underage marriages and pregnancies.
- Showcause notices: Husbands of underage girls will be issued showcause notices and required to produce valid proof of their wife’s age.
- Action against solemnisers: Priests and qazis who perform marriage rituals involving underage brides or grooms will face legal action, as will parents and guardians found to have facilitated such marriages.
- Loss of benefits: Families involved in child marriages could lose access to government welfare schemes and benefits.
- Penalties: Adhikari noted that offenders under POCSO can face imprisonment of up to 20 years.
The Numbers Behind the Move
Adhikari cited data from the State Health Department covering January 1, 2016, to June 30, 2026, showing roughly 60,000 institutional deliveries involving girls under 18. Two districts stood out:
| District | Underage Institutional Births |
|---|---|
| Murshidabad | 12,847 |
| South 24 Parganas | 4,178 |
The Chief Minister said this data had not previously been shared with the central government, adding that the lack of reporting had made it difficult to identify the scale of the problem.
Political Context
Adhikari used the announcement to criticize the previous Trinamool Congress (TMC) government, alleging that West Bengal had become the state with the highest rate of child marriage and underage deliveries during its tenure. He framed the new enforcement drive as a corrective measure following a change in government.
He also referenced the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, as providing additional legal grounding for the state’s approach to preventing child marriage.
What Happens Next As West Bengal CM Announces POCSO Crackdown
With house-to-house verification drives now ordered statewide, the coming weeks are expected to see notices issued to families, cases registered against husbands and solemnisers, and continued political sparring over responsibility for the state’s child marriage record.
This article is based on statements made by CM Suvendu Adhikari at a September 7, 2026 press conference and subsequent news reporting. Figures and details are attributed to the state government as reported.
