5: Child abuse and its punishment

Child abuse and its punishment.– (1) Any form of cohabitation, before attaining the age of eighteen years, with or without consent, resulting from a child marriage shall be the child abuse under the Act. (2) Any person who induces, forces, persuades, entices or coerces any child bride or child groom to engage in child abuse or commits child abuse shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to seven years but shall not be less than five years and with fine which shall not be less than one million rupees.

Effective date: 2026-05-11

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