No separate action from centre for Compulsory registration of marriages

The process for compulsory registration of marriages in the wake of the Supreme Court order of 2006 is being worked out by State Governments and Union Territories and hence, no separate action by the Central Government is considered necessary, Salman Khurshid, Union Minister of Law & Justice has said.

The Supreme Court vide its judgment dated 14.02.2006 in Seema Vs. Ashwani Kumar (AIR 2006 S.C 1158) has directed the State Governments and the Central Government that marriages of all persons who are citizens of India belonging to various religious denomination should be made compulsorily registrable in their respective States where such marriages are solemnized.

The minister in written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha this week said that “it is not correct to say that the process of registration of marriages is cumbersome. The process for compulsory registration of marriage is worked out by respective State Governments and the Union Territory Administrations by making suitable legislation/ rules or by amending existing legislation/ rules on the basis of the situation obtained in their respective territories to make the process simple and easier. Hence, no separate action by the Central Government is considered necessary.”