Supreme Court Dismisses NCPCR Plea on Muslim Child Marriage Legalities

The Supreme Court on Tuesday dismissed a petition by the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR), which challenged a Punjab and Haryana High Court decision from 2022. The ruling allowed a 16-year-old Muslim girl to legally marry a Muslim man, granting the couple protection from threats.

Justices BV Nagarathna and R Mahadevan, presiding over the bench, noted NCPCR's lack of locus standi in the case, declaring, "NCPCR has no right to challenge such an order if two minors are protected by the High Court." The NCPCR had contested the ruling, questioning whether Muslim personal law could override national laws on minimum marriage age.

The Court dismissed NCPCR's plea, stating no legal question arose warranting intervention. This decision aligns with previous orders that emphasized adherence to the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, which conflict with the allowances of Muslim personal law.

(With inputs from agencies.)