File:Dr.TN.Seema-MP-of-RajyaSabha-India.jpg - Wikipedia, the free ...India’s refusal to sign the first-ever global resolution for 
elimination and prevention of forced child marriages has come in for criticism
 from various quarters.
CPI(M) MP T. N. Seema wrote to the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Monday
 deploring the failure to support the resolution proposed by the UN Human Rights 
Council.
The resolution stressed the need to include child, early and forced marriage in
 post-2015 international development agenda and acknowledged the multi-faceted
 impact of early marriage on the economic, legal, health and social status of women
 and girls as well as the development of the community as a whole.
Dr. Seema noted that the resolution had been supported by over 107 countries,
 including almost all countries with high rates of child marriage.
But India, which had the record of having the highest absolute number of child
 brides, about 24 million, representing 40 per cent of the 60 million world's child 
marriages, had not supported the resolution.
“The reason as to why our country, which had restrained child marriages below the
 age of 18 for girls as early as 1978 and passed a law in 2006 banning marriages
 of girls under the age of 18, has taken such a stand at the UN forum is most
 perplexing.
“Recently, in some States like Kerala and West Bengal, there have been
 attempts by some groups to dilute the implementation of the Child Marriage 
Prohibition Act by deliberately initiating discussions on the need to remove
 the minimum marriage age restrictions as per the law, citing contradictions
 with personal laws.
Khap panchayats
Similarly, reports about convening of Khap panchayats in some North Indian 
States to demand the lowering of age of marriage of girls from 18 have also
 appeared. The virtual disapproval by the Indian representatives of the UNHRC
 resolution calling for elimination of child marriages, has ominous portends 
in the context of these developments within the country,” she said.
Dr. Seema called upon the Prime Minister to look into this matter and ensure
 that India supports the UN resolution and the Union government dispel any 
wrong notions caused by the non-signing of the resolution about India’s
 commitment to protect the rights of children, especially girls.
The DYFI has also protested the failure of the country to support the resolution.
 “It is shameful,” the DYFI State secretariat said in a statement here on Monday.
It said that Central government had taken such a stand because of its vote-bank
 politics.