Gujarat is planning to amend the Gujarat Registration of Marriages Act, 2006 and overhaul the marriage registration system that would make parental involvement central to the process, especially in cases where the couple has eloped, reported. Hindustan Times.
“There is no objection to love. But if some Salim posing as a Suresh, traps a girl, we will not spare them,” HT quoted Gujarat deputy chief minister Harsh Sanghvi as saying.
He made the comments in the state assembly on Friday, adding that the government has no objection to “genuine love marriages” but will act against deception and exploitation.
Under the current rules, introduced in 2006, couples who elope can register their marriage by submitting basic documents and witness details to the local registrar or talati-cum-mantri, without needing to inform their parents.
What could change under the new rules?
– As per the draft rules, couples applying to register a marriage would have to submit their application in person before an assistant registrar and declare whether they have informed their parents.
– The couples would also be required to provide their parents’ names, addresses, Aadhaar details and contact information. Once the assistant registrar verifies the application, parents would be notified within 10 working days.
– The application would then be forwarded to the district or taluka registrar, who would register the marriage after verifying compliance with the rules.
According to the proposal, a marriage certificate would be issued 40 days after the application is submitted, allowing time for verification or objections.
For interfaith or civil marriages, the Special Marriage Act, 1954 will continue to apply. It requires a 30-day public notice before solemnisation but does not mandate parental consent for adults, mentioned the report by HT.
The state has opened a 30-day public consultation window on the draft rules, after which a committee will review feedback before finalizing them.
The changes will take effect only after the consultation process and official notification are completed.
If the new rules come into effect, Gujarat would become the first state to mandate formal parental notification for all marriage registrations.
