PA Ponorogo Receives 75 Early Marriage Applications, 58 Due To Pregnancy Before Marriage

JAKARTA - The Religious Court (PA) Class I-A Ponorogo, East Java, recorded 75 marriage dispensation requests for children from January to August 2025. This case is in the spotlight because most of it is proposed due to pregnancy outside of marriage.

Public Relations and Judge of PA Ponorogo, Maftuh Basuni, explained that the majority of cases involved teenagers who were not old enough to get married.

"Of the 75 cases, 58 of them were pregnant first and 17 cases of adultery," he said, as quoted by ANTARA.

He emphasized that the panel of judges did not immediately grant any requests. The main consideration remains in the physical and mental readiness of the young couple.

"Some were rejected because it turned out that it was only the will of parents, while the child was not interested in getting married," he added.

The data shows that most applicants are 16'18 years old, with the most submissions coming from suburban areas such as Ngrayun, Jenangan, Pulung, Sambit, and Slahung sub-districts.

Maftuh reminded that according to the Marriage Law, brides and grooms under the age of 19 are required to apply for a marriage dispensation.

"The condition must be that there is a rejection from the KUA first. After that it is submitted to the court, and if it is granted we issue a letter of scale," he explained.

For the record, in 2024 PA Ponorogo granted 123 similar requests. Although the number of this year has decreased, social media and promiscuity factors are said to be the main trigger for the increase in early marriage cases in the Bumi Reog area.