The Orissa High Court on Monday slapped a fine of Rs. 2 lakh on a social organisation for allegedly facilitating marriage of a minor girl and directed the organisation to contribute the fine amount to the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund.
A Division Bench of Justices M M Das and A K Rath taking up a habeas corpus writ filed by one Amulya Kumar Jena of Dhenkanal district held a Bhubaneswar-based social organisation called Anti-caste Marriage and One Child Family Organisation (AMOFOI) responsible for conducting the marriage of Jena’s minor daughter in March this year.
Jena’s daughter, a Plus III first year student was 17 years and nine months old when she married her lover with the help of the AMOFOI on March 26 this year. Both the lovers had runway from their homes and approached the social organisation to facilitate their marriage.
However, questioning the authority of the social organisation in facilitating the marriage of a minor girl, the Bench held it responsible and fined it. The HC further directed the organisation to deposit the fine money with the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund.
When contacted, the AMOFOI secretary B Ramachandra CST Voltaire told this correspondent that his organisation is going to challenge the HC verdict in an appropriate forum.
