Rajasthan Government Tightens Rules Against Child Marriage for Civil Servants

Jaipur, Rajasthan: The Rajasthan government has amended the Civil Services Conduct Rules, 1971, to impose stricter penalties on government employees involved in child marriages. The move, approved in Wednesday’s cabinet meeting, aligns with the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006, and clearly defines the age of a child as below 21 for males and below 18 for females.

Stricter Disciplinary Measures:
Under the revised rules, any government employee who participates in, arranges, or conducts a child marriage will face disciplinary action. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Jogaram Patel clarified that the amendments explicitly make such participation or facilitation of child marriage a punishable offense for civil servants.

Key Decisions from Cabinet Meeting:
The cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma, also approved several important measures affecting state administration and development:

• Introduction of a new Disturbed Areas Bill to protect property rights and prevent arbitrary eviction of tenants in regions declared “disturbed.”
• Approval of policies to promote the aerospace, defense manufacturing, and semiconductor sectors in the state.

Protecting Property and Tenants in Disturbed Areas:
The proposed Rajasthan Prohibition of Transfer of Immovable Property and Protection of Tenants from Eviction in Disturbed Areas Bill, 2026, aims to maintain communal harmony and safeguard social structure in unrest-affected regions. The bill will prevent illegal property transfers and protect tenants from being evicted without due process.

Political Reactions:
The bill has drawn criticism from the Congress party, with state president Govind Singh Dotasra accusing the government of creating an atmosphere of fear and labeling the legislation unconstitutional. Government ministers, however, maintain that the measures are necessary to preserve social balance and strengthen administrative order in sensitive areas.