Introduction
Today's legal and governance highlights center on the statutory commencement of the 16th Census (India's first digital census), the legal campaign against child marriage reinforced by recent Supreme Court judgments, and the international geopolitical shifts affecting the Petrodollar system which impacts global trade law.
1. Administrative & Statutory Law: Census 2027 Notification
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has officially notified the commencement of the Census of India 2027. This is a critical statutory exercise with profound constitutional implications.
A. Statutory Basis
Census Act, 1948: The Census is conducted under the provisions of this Act.
Section 3: Empowers the Central Government to declare its intention to take a census.
Section 17A: Allows for the extension of the date of census.
Census Rules, 1990: These rules provide the procedural framework.
B. Constitutional Implications
Delimitation: The data from this Census (once published) will form the legal basis for the Delimitation of Parliamentary and Assembly Constituencies (which has been frozen until the first census after 2026 under the 84th Constitutional Amendment Act, 2001).
Reservation: It will determine the reservation of seats for SCs and STs in Lok Sabha and State Assemblies under Article 330 and 332.
C. New Parameters
Caste Census: The notification confirms the inclusion of a nationwide caste enumeration (beyond SCs/STs) for the first time since 1931, which will have significant legal implications for reservation policies (Indra Sawhney limit debates).
2. Social Justice Law: Bal Vivah Mukt Bharat Abhiyan
The government's campaign against child marriage is backed by a strong legal and judicial framework.
A. The Primary Statute
Prohibition of Child Marriage Act (PCMA), 2006: This is the governing law.
Voidable Marriage: Section 3 allows a child to annul the marriage within 2 years of attaining majority.
Cognizable Offence: Child marriage is a cognizable and non-bailable offence.
B. Recent Judicial Strengthening (2024)
Society for Enlightenment and Voluntary Action v. Union of India (2024): A landmark Supreme Court judgment that:
Banned "Child Betrothals" explicitly.
Emphasized Prevention over punishment.
Directed states to appoint dedicated Child Marriage Prohibition Officers (CMPOs) under Section 16 of PCMA.
C. Criminal Law Intersection
POCSO Act, 2012: The Supreme Court has clarified that sexual intercourse with a minor wife (below 18) is rape under the IPC/BNS and an aggravated offence under the POCSO Act, removing the "marital rape exception" for minors (Independent Thought v. Union of India, 2017).
3. International Trade & Finance: Petrodollar System
The capture of Venezuela's President and shifts in oil trade highlight global economic law dynamics.
A. Legal Context
Bretton Woods System: The Petrodollar system replaced the gold standard, effectively making the USD the global reserve currency.
Sanctions & Sovereignty: The US intervention raises questions under International Law regarding regime change and the extraterritorial application of US domestic laws (sanctions).
Key Legal Takeaways
Statute: Census Act, 1948 (Sections 3 & 17A govern the 2027 Census).
Act: Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006.
Key Judgment: Society for Enlightenment and Voluntary Action v. Union of India (2024) (Banned child betrothals).
Constitutional Link: Delimitation (Frozen till post-2026 Census) & Article 21 (Basis for anti-child marriage drive).
Digital Governance: Census 2027 will be the First Digital Census with self-enumeration.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1: Under which Act is the Census of India conducted?
Answer: The Census Act, 1948. It is a Central legislation.
Q2: Will the 2027 Census data be used for Delimitation?
Answer: Yes. Under the 84th Constitutional Amendment Act, the freeze on the number of seats in the Lok Sabha and State Assemblies is valid until the first census figures are published after the year 2026. Therefore, the 2027 Census data will legally unlock the delimitation process.
Q3: Is child marriage "void" or "voidable" in India?
Answer: Under the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006, child marriage is generally voidable (at the option of the child). However, recent judicial trends and proposed amendments aim to make it void ab initio (invalid from the start).
Q4: Which Supreme Court judgment removed the marital rape exception for a wife below 18 years of age?
Answer: Independent Thought v. Union of India (2017). The Court read down Exception 2 to Section 375 of the IPC, holding that sex with a wife below 18 is rape.
Q5: What is the legal age of marriage for men and women in India currently?
Answer: Currently, it is 18 for women and 21 for men. However, a Bill (Prohibition of Child Marriage Amendment Bill) has been introduced to raise the age for women to 21, but it has not yet been passed into law as of the current status.