Provided that nothing contained in this Act shall apply to the Renoncants of the Union territory of Pondicherry.

Definitions Definitions.—In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,—

1. (a) “child” means a person who, if a male, has not completed twenty-one years of age, and if a female, has not completed eighteen years of age;
2. (b) “child marriage” means a marriage to which either of the contracting parties is a child;
3. (c) “contracting party”, in relation to a marriage, means either of the parties whose marriage is or is about to be thereby solemnised;
4. (d) “Child Marriage Prohibition Officer” includes the Child Marriage Prohibition Officer appointed under sub-section (1) of section 16;
5. (e) “district court” means, in any area for which a Family Court established under section 3 of the Family Courts Act, 1984 (66 of 1984) exists, such Family Court, and in any area for which there is no Family Court but a city civil court exists, that court and in any other area, the principal civil court of original jurisdiction and includes any other civil court which may be specified by the State Government, by notification in the Official Gazette, as having jurisdiction in respect of the matters dealt with in this Act;
6. (f) “minor” means a person who, under the provisions of the Majority Act, 1875 (9 of 1875), is to be deemed not to have attained his majority.