VIJAYAWADA : Metropolitan Sessions Judge D. Issac Prabhakar has called for greater understanding of laws pertaining to social issues by every one, so that the laws could be effectively implemented.

Inaugurating a meet on `stopping child marriages', organised by the district women & child welfare department on Wednesday, Mr. Prabhakar said even minor deviation from enforcement of laws would amount to violating them and the consequences would sometimes be severe, even if the laws were violated out of ignorance. Pointing to the established law that only those girls who completed 18 years of age could be married, Mr. Prabhakar said many people were ignorant of this provision and tended to marry off their daughters when the latter entered the 18th year after completing 17 years of age. The judge asked the Women & Child Welfare Department and religious heads to come forward in spreading awareness about the laws. Deputy Commissioner of Police U.V.S. Raju said the police were acting whenever they received complaints pertaining to marriage of boys below the age of 21 and girls below the age of 18. But such instances were continuing in rural areas, he said.

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