Patna: Don't solemnise any marriage in which the bride or groom is underage, Patna district magistrate (DM) Sanjay Kumar Agarwal told a bunch of clergymen from four religions on Wednesday.

The instructions were issued to roughly 100 religious leaders - Hindu, Christian and Sikh priests and Muslim clerics - at a special meeting as part of the state government's drive against child marriage and dowry.

"Child marriage is not only a social evil but scientifically proven to affect the body of both the boy and the girl, so it is our responsibility to ensure that child marriage does not take place in our society," Agarwal told the gathering at the collectorate conference hall.

The clergymen from four different religions also gave their suggestions on how to combat the evil of child marriage and stressed that they already do not take part in any wedding ceremony where the boy or girl are underage.

The DM made it clear to the priests and clerics that they would face action if they solemnise any child marriage.

"You people will also be arrested if found solemnising any wedding in which girl or boy are underage," Agarwal said. "You cannot be held directly responsible in the case of dowry but in the case of child marriage you are the first person who comes to know. So kindly keep this in your mind and do not solemnise any child marriage."

The religious leaders were unanimous - be it Acharya Vinodanand Jha, Sayyed Shah Sameemuddin Munimiya, Father Jobby Peter or Gyani Daljeet Singh - that girls should be encouraged to study so that they themselves can judge the ill effects of child marriages.

All the religious leaders took an oath that they will never solemnise any wedding in which the girl is less than 18 years or the boy is less than 21 years old.

The special meeting called by the DM did not just include clergymen. There were musical bands that play at weddings and printers who print wedding invitation cards as well. The DM told the printers and the bands to only provide their services after taking an undertaking from the bride and the groom's fathers that their wards are not underage.

"If anyone is found not following the orders they would have to face strict action, including jail," Agarwal warned.

If anyone violates the rules despite providing the undertaking action would be taken against the parents of the boy and girl, he said.

He also asked Jeevika and child development project officers to keep a close watch especially in the rural areas on child marriages.

"The DM is the virtual chief minister of the district, he is chief executive officer of the district. Whatever he is doing, he is well within his rights," explained Patna High Court advocate Dinesh Kumar when asked if the DM's orders would hold legally. "He is authorised to publicise social campaigns like this that are being propagated by the state government. So, he is acting well within his rights."