India, Aug. 19 -- The Supreme Court on Tuesday dismissed petitions by the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) and the National Commission for Women (NCW) challenging Punjab and Haryana high court orders that recognised the validity of marriages of Muslim girls after attaining puberty.

A bench of justices BV Nagarathna and R Mahadevan said the commissions had "no locus standi" in such personal matters, remarking: "It is strange that NCPCR, which is for protecting children, has challenged an order protecting two children. Leave these couples alone."

With the dismissal, a January 2023 order of the top court that the high court ruling should not be treated as precedent also came to an end. The high court had earlier h...