Question

The offences under the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006 are

• A. Cognizable and bailable
• B. Non cognizable and non-bailable
• C. Cognizable and non-bailable
• D. Non cognizable and bailable

Hint:

To ensure strict enforcement, offences under the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act are made both cognizable (police can act swiftly without a warrant) and non-bailable (accused cannot claim bail as a right).

Answer 1

The Correct Option is C

Section 15 of the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006, explicitly states the nature of offences under the Act. It reads: "Notwithstanding anything contained in the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, an offence punishable under this Act shall be cognizable and non-bailable."
Cognizable means the police can arrest an accused without a warrant.
Non-bailable means that bail is not a matter of right and is subject to the discretion of the court.
This classification reflects the seriousness with which the legislature views the offence of child marriage.