Compulsory Registration of Marriage

Compulsory Registration of Marriage

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF LAW AND JUSTICE
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO: 4368
ANSWERED ON: 21.03.2018

Compulsory Registration of Marriage

ASHOK SHANKARRAO CHAVAN
ALOK SANJAR
Will the Minister of

LAW AND JUSTICE be pleased to state:-

(a) whether the Law Commission has recommended compulsory registration of marriages in all States;
(b) if so, the details thereof along with other recommendations made by the Law Commission in this regard;
(c) the reasons mentioned by Law Commission for this purpose;
(d) whether the Government has any proposal to make registration of marriages mandatory within a specified period of time;
(e) if so, the details thereof along with the action taken by the Union/State Governments in this regard and the time by which the said proposal is likely to be implemented countrywide; and
(f) whether there are different forms of the certificate of marriage registration in different States and if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor?

A N S W E R

MINISTER OF STATE FOR LAW AND JUSTICE
AND CORPORATE AFFAIRS

(SHRI P.P. CHAUDHARY)

(a) & (b) The 21stLaw Commission of India,on a reference made by the Central Government, in its 270thReport titled “Compulsory Registration of Marriages” has,inter alia, recommended the Central Government to suitably amend the Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 1969 (18 of 1969) so as to include registration of marriage within its scope so that the existing administrative machinery would also be able to carry out registration of marriages. The full Report of the Commission is accessible from the website http://lawcommissionofindia.nic.in/reports/Report270.pdf.

(c) to (e) In order to provide evidentiary value in matrimonial and maintenance cases and prevent unnecessary harassment meted out to women, it has been decided to provide for compulsory registration of marriages. However, it may not be possible to lay down any rigid time frame in this regard.

(f) The State Governments are empowered to frame rules for registration of marriages under various enactments. Hence, no data regarding certificate of marriage registration is centrally maintained.

Source : Lok Sabha