The Maharashtra government is preparing to take a significant step towards effectively curbing the social evil of child marriage. The state government is seriously considering a proposal to make it mandatory to include the dates of birth of the bride and groom on wedding invitation cards. If implemented, Maharashtra will join the ranks of states taking measures to make the pre-wedding age verification process more transparent and effective.

**Curbing Incidents of Child Marriage**
State Women and Child Development Minister Aditi Tatkare shared this information in the Legislative Assembly in response to a question raised by BJP MLA Atul Bhatkhalkar. The Minister noted that a similar system implemented in Rajasthan has yielded positive results, aiding the administration in controlling incidents of child marriage. Maharashtra is now studying that model to implement it within the state.

**New Mechanism to Prevent Child Marriage**
The government believes that printing the bride and groom's dates of birth on wedding invitations will facilitate age verification at the time of the wedding. This will assist the administration, local bodies, and child protection agencies in identifying marriages involving minors and intervening promptly.

Currently, the administration often receives information only after wedding preparations are complete, making it difficult to take action. Under the proposed system, making age-related information public at the initial stage of wedding planning will make it easier to monitor such cases.

**Recommendation by the Commission for the Protection of Child Rights**
Aditi Tatkare stated that the Maharashtra State Commission for Protection of Child Rights has also recommended making it mandatory to print the bride and groom's dates of birth on wedding invitations. The Commission believes this measure could prove to be an effective social and administrative tool for preventing child marriage. The government is currently examining the legal, administrative, and practical aspects of this recommendation. A draft of the proposal is being prepared in coordination with various departments.

**Accountability for Printing Presses**
A key aspect of the proposed policy is that responsibility will be fixed not only on the families getting the couple married but also on other parties involved in organizing the wedding. This could include printing presses, wedding venues (such as *Mangal Karyalayas* and banquet halls), wedding pavilion operators, and other event-related establishments. The government is considering placing the responsibility on these entities to ensure that dates of birth are mentioned in wedding-related documents and invitation cards. This would enable more effective monitoring of compliance with the rules.

**Preparing for Action Against Violations**
The minister clarified that if the proposed rules are implemented, provisions will be made to take action against violators. The government is deliberating on penal and regulatory measures to ensure the rules do not remain merely a formality. Experts believe that holding all stakeholders associated with weddings accountable could lead to a significant reduction in cases of child marriage.

**The Challenge of Child Marriage in Maharashtra**
Despite the spread of education and awareness, incidents of child marriage continue to surface periodically in certain rural and tribal areas of Maharashtra. While the government and social organizations are continuously running awareness campaigns, social pressure, economic conditions, and traditional beliefs often fuel this issue. In this context, the proposal to make the mention of the date of birth mandatory in wedding invitations is viewed not merely as an administrative change but as a significant step towards enhancing social accountability.

**Drafting Rules After the Final Decision**
Once the government takes a final decision on the proposal, detailed rules will be drafted by the concerned departments. If implemented, age verification will become a mandatory and public element of the wedding organization process. At both political and social levels, this initiative is seen as a crucial and far-reaching strategy by the Maharashtra government to combat child marriage, aiming to protect children's rights and effectively curb marriages taking place before the legal age.

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