Guidelines for marriage registration

MUMBAI, APRIL 22: Following the Bombay High Court orders on the public interest litigation of Majlis Manch8217; on unauthorised marriage shops8217; proliferating in the city, the state government has brought out a bill on registration of marriages in the state.

While the bill has been passed by the lower house of the legislature, it has not yet been passed by the legislative council. In the intervening period, the state has issued guidelines to be followed for registering marriages.

Accordingly, all unauthorised marriage centres have been banned by the state and action will be taken against any such centres found operating.

Marriages in the state have to be registered within 90 days of the ceremony.

It will be the responsibility of the husband to present all the relevant papers before the registrar. This will include the address of the husband where the wife resides with him or the address of one of the parties.

Both the parties as well as the witnesses will have to be present personally before the registrar and will have to sign the relevant papers.

The registrar who will be registering the marriage will have to go through the papers or any such documents which will identify the witnesses as well as the parties involved. Registration will be done only after the due identities are established.

The documents used for establishing the identities of the parties or the witnesses will be entered in the registration documents by the registrar.