Register marriage within 60 days or face fine
Registration of marriages will soon become mandatory in Delhi and couples who fail to do so within 60 days of tying the knot will have to pay a fine of Rs 10,000.
The provision has been made in the draft Delhi Registration of Marriages Bill 2012 which was cleared by a meeting of the Delhi Cabinet presided by Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit.
The Bill, which will be introduced in the budget session of Delhi Assembly beginning next week, is being brought with an aim to prevent child marriage, check bigamy or polygamy, enable widows to claim right on property and to ensure that deserted women get their rights like financial help and custody of children from their estranged husbands.
Officials said all the marriages solemnised in Delhi or marriages solemnised out of Delhi involving a person who normally resides in Delhi will come under purview of the proposed legislation.
The Bill also seeks to make registration of marriages a simple and hassle-free process as presence of either the husband or wife at the designated offices will be enough for it. In special circumstances, a couple may even authorise their parents for registration of their marriages, provided documentation of the paper work is in order.
"Any marriage will have to be registered within a period of 60 days from the date of marriage and violation of the provision will invite a fine of Rs 10,000," said Revenue Minister A. K. Walia.
Registration of marriage will take place in the office of the Registrar of Marriages in whose jurisdiction either the husband or wife resides or in whose jurisdiction the marriage is solemnised.
If a marriage is solemnised in a foreign country and if the husband or wife normally resides in Delhi, then such marriage will also have to be registered, as per the draft bill.
The Bill envisages registration of all marriages, be it under Hindu Marriage Act, Special Marriage Act or any other Act.
The Bill has been drafted in line with a Supreme Court directive and the procedures for registration are being simplified as per suggestion of the Home Ministry.
As per existing norms, presence of both husband and wife is required for registration of marriage. The city government last year had sent the draft bill to Union Home Ministry for approval following which the ministry had suggested further simplification of the procedure.
Post new comment