Expressing grave concern over the high prevalence of child marriages resulting in underage pregnancies and deliveries in the State, West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Monday (September 7, 2026) said that the State had recorded nearly 60,000 underage institutional deliveries in the first six months of 2026.

Details of underage institutional deliveries from January 1, 2026 to June 30, 2026 had been obtained from the State Health Department, and the numbers were alarming, Mr. Adhikari said.

“As a result of the previous government, we are now number one in two criteria across the country — marriage of girls below 18 years of age, and deliveries before 18 years of age. These numbers are so high that there aren’t enough jails in which to put these people,” the Chief Minister said, addressing media persons at the State Secretariat.

Mr. Adhikari read out the provisions of the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006 and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012, adding that the law prohibited marriage with a child below 18 years of age. In such cases, “Police action will be initiated and arrests will be made,” he said.

The Chief Minister emphasised that the practice of child marriage could not be allowed to prevail, and the State Health Department would issue a show-cause notice to the offenders, especially the husband, who would have to provide documentary evidence within a month that both he and his ‘wife’ were adults in accordance with the law.

“If he fails to do so, the DGP (Director General of Police), who is sitting right next to me, will take action as per the law,” Mr. Adhikari said. The State government would stop delivering benefits under all Central and State government welfare schemes to these families, he said. Action would be taken against the priest and qazi who solemnised the marriage, and against other family members, he added.

Sharing district-wise details of cases of underage pregnancies, the Chief Minister said 12,847 institutional childbirths by underage girls were recorded in Murshidabad district alone, followed by South 24 Parganas at 4,178.

West Bengal has recorded the highest number of child marriages over the past few years, despite schemes rolled out to keep girls in schools. According to the Sample Registration Survey report published in September 2025, West Bengal recorded 6.3% of females getting married before the age of 18 years, whereas at the national level, 2.1% of females got married before the age of 18 years. Murshidabad remains a hotspot for child marriages. About 55.4% women in the district aged 20 to 24 years said they were married before the age of 18 years, according to the National Family Health Survey-5.

Experts working on the ground, however, say that child marriage is a complex issue involving not only parental or social pressure but also cases of elopement, and minor grooms. They warn that the arrest of husbands may result in placing a strain on already marginalised families, and impact marital relations adversely.