Ahmedabad: Gujarat is gearing up to reform its marriage registration system and make parental involvement central to the process, especially in cases where the couple has eloped, Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghvi told the state assembly on Friday.
The state plans to amend the Gujarat Marriage Registration Act, 2006 to protect women, prevent fraud and restore transparency amid rising abuse, especially in “love and elopement marriages”, the minister said, adding that the government has no objection to “true love marriages” but will take action against deception and exploitation.
He added, “There is no objection to love. But if some Salim, who pretended to be Suresh, traps a girl, we will not spare them.”
According to the proposed rules, every marriage registration application must be filed before the Assistant Registrar, while applicants must attach an affidavit stating whether the bride and groom have informed their parents about the marriage.
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Moreover, the bride and groom will have to provide the names, addresses, Aadhaar and contact details of their parents in the application. The parents of the bride and groom will be informed within 10 working days once the Assistant Registrar is satisfied, as per the proposed rules.
The Assistant Registrar will forward the application to the Registrar of the district or taluka concerned. The marriage will be registered 30 days after the Registrar is satisfied that the requirements specified in the Sub-Rules have been met. The registrar will upload all these details to the online portal to be created by the government, as per the proposed rules.
“The marriage certificate will be issued only after 40 days from the date of submission of the application, allowing time for verification, consultation or objections,” Sanghvi told the House. Applicants will be required to submit Aadhaar cards, birth certificates and school leaving certificates of both the bride and groom, along with photographs, and marriage invitation card where available.
Witnesses from both sides will have to submit Aadhaar photos and details. Marriage registrations will be transferred from lower-level revenue offices to government courts.
The proposed changes relate to the rules under the Gujarat Marriages Registration Act, 2006, a state law governing the registration of marriages in Gujarat. This law applies to the process of registering interfaith marriages.
It should be noted that the changes relate to how marriages are registered (paperwork, notices, deadlines) – not what makes a marriage valid under personal status laws.
Under the current rules, notified in 2006, eloped couples can quickly register their marriage by submitting essential documents and witnesses to the Talati Kum Mantri (or assistant registrar/local registrar), without informing the parents.
The Special Marriage Act, 1954 of Gujarat applies to interfaith or civil marriages. According to the guidelines, notice of the intended marriage must be given to the marriage official (usually a district level official) at least 30 days in advance. The notice is displayed publicly for 30 days to allow for objections. If there are no objections (or if they are resolved), the marriage can be celebrated. Parental consent is not required for adults, the minimum age of the groom is 21 years and the minimum age of the bride is 18 years.
The government has opened a 30-day window for public comments on the draft amendments. A committee will review the input before finalizing the rules. The changes remain proposed and will not come into effect until the consultation process is completed and a final notification is issued.
If the rules are passed, Gujarat will become the first state in the country to mandate formal notification to parents for every marriage registration.
Sanghvi said the changes are intended to serve as a safety mechanism for women by preventing anonymity, coercion and practices that, according to him, undermine Sanatan traditions and Indian wedding customs. He also expressed concern about what he described as love jihad — a term used by right-wing groups to describe interfaith relationships involving a Hindu woman and a Muslim man — and said strict action would be taken by police in cases where women face post-marriage harassment over dowry or property issues.
“Anti-social elements hide their real identity and lure or trick girls of the state into having relationships. Shocking details of several fake marriages have emerged in Panchmahal area,” he said.
Banaskantha MP and Congress leader Jenibin Thakur welcomed the amendments and described them as the need of the present era. “I am not against love marriage, but deception and exploitation in the name of love must stop,” she said. “I have been calling for more stringent standards to protect our daughters for years.”
She praised the government’s move as a positive step in the wake of demands from the public and society, including the Thakur community.
The proposals follow consultations conducted over the past three months under Law and Justice Minister Kaushik Vikria, during which around 30 meetings were held with community representatives.
Gujarat already has a strict anti-conversion law, which punishes illegal conversion by marriage or assisting in such conversion with imprisonment for a term of not less than three years, but which may extend to five years and a fine of not less than $2 lakh.
Higher penalties apply if the victim is a minor, a woman or a person from the Scheduled Castes or Scheduled Tribes.
