The Punjab Assembly has approved the bill aimed at preventing child marriage in the province, with details of the Child Marriage Restraint Bill 2026 now coming to light.
According to the text, the bill will include suggestions from both government and opposition members and will ban the marriage of children below the age of 18 in Punjab.
The bill states that both the bride and groom must be 18 years old at the time of marriage. Any marriage involving a person below the age of 18 will be treated as an underage marriage and will be considered a punishable offence.
Action against violators will be taken under criminal law.
Court to protect victims of forced marriage
According to the text of the bill, if a forced marriage takes place, the court will provide protection to the affected child or girl. The bill also states that court action will be taken against those who violate its provisions.
Marriage registrars, parents and guardians will also come under the purview of the law.
Punishment for underage marriage
Those who register or solemnize an underage marriage will face at least one year in prison. They will also be fined Rs100,000 under the proposed law. This provision applies to individuals involved in registering, conducting or facilitating the marriage of a minor.
According to the bill, anyone who marries an underage child will face strict punishment. The penalty will include three years in prison and a fine of Rs500,000.
The bill aims to discourage underage marriage through stronger criminal penalties.
Underage marriage to be treated as rape
The text further states that marriage of a child below the age of 18 will be considered rape. In such cases, the punishment will be seven years in prison and a fine of Rs1 million.
This clause marks one of the strictest proposed legal measures in the bill.
The bill also covers cases where minors are taken to another province for marriage. Anyone who takes underage children to another province and arranges their marriage will face seven years in prison and a fine of Rs1 million.
The provision is aimed at preventing attempts to bypass Punjab’s child marriage restrictions.
Guardians can face jail and heavy fine
If the guardian of minors, or any other person, tries to arrange their marriage, they will also be punished. The proposed punishment includes two years in prison and a fine of Rs5 million.
The bill places responsibility on families and guardians to prevent underage marriages.
The Punjab governor will give final approval to the Punjab Child Marriage Restraint Bill 2026. Once the bill receives final approval, the Child Marriage Restraint Act 1929 will be considered repealed.
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