West Bengal CM cites 60,000 underage institutional deliveries in six months, vows legal action
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Monday said the State recorded nearly 60,000 institutional deliveries by underage mothers between January and June 2026, calling the numbers a matter of concern. He attributed the situation to child marriages and said his government would take strict legal action against those responsible.
Addressing media persons at the State Secretariat, Mr. Adhikari said the data was obtained from the State Health Department. He claimed that West Bengal now ranks first in the country in two categories: marriage of girls below 18 years and deliveries before the age of 18. 'These numbers are so high that there aren't enough jails in which to put these people,' he said.
The Chief Minister read out provisions of the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006 and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012, emphasising that marriage with a child below 18 years is prohibited. He said police action and arrests would follow in such cases.
Mr. Adhikari directed the State Health Department to issue show-cause notices to offenders, particularly the husbands, requiring them to provide documentary proof within a month that both they and their spouses are adults under the law. 'If he fails to do so, the Director General of Police, who is sitting right next to me, will take action as per the law,' he added.
The government would also stop delivering benefits under all Central and State welfare schemes to families involved in child marriages, he said. Action would be taken against priests, qazis, and other family members who abet such marriages.
Sharing district-wise details, the Chief Minister said Murshidabad district alone recorded 12,847 institutional childbirths by underage girls in the first six months of 2026, followed by South 24 Parganas with 4,178 cases.
West Bengal has consistently reported a high number of child marriages over the years. According to the Sample Registration Survey published in September 2025, the State recorded 6.3% of females marrying before age 18, against the national average of 2.1%. The National Family Health Survey-5 noted that 55.4% of women aged 20 to 24 in Murshidabad said they were married before turning 18, making the district a hotspot.
Experts working on child rights, however, caution that child marriage is a complex issue. They point to parental and social pressure, cases of elopement, and the involvement of minor grooms as factors. They warn that arresting husbands could strain marginalised families and harm martial relationships, possibly discouraging reporting. They urge a comprehensive approach combining enforcement with education and social support.
