The issue of child marriage among Muslims in Kerala was addressed by a circular issued on 14 June 2013 by the social-welfare department of the Indian Union Muslim League (part of Kerala's ruling United Democratic Front (UDF)). The circular instructs marriage registrars to register Muslim marriages even if the parties have not attained the age fixed by the Child Marriage Act. Political parties and Muslim women's organisations have said that this would encourage child marriages. Following an amendment, only underage marriages occurring before 28 June 2013 could be registered. Nine prominent Muslim organisations in Kerala took legal action seeking exemption from the community marriage-age restrictions, saying that the minimum marriage age for women (fixed at 18 by the Child Marriage Act) as w