Following Supreme Court directives, the Uttar Pradesh Government has decided to make registration of marriages mandatory to avail of Government schemes and facilities requiring the certificate. An announcement to this effect was made by Women’s Welfare Minister Rita Bahuguna Joshi on Thursday.
Talking to reporters, Joshi said that the BJP Government has decided to make registration of marriages, irrespective of religion, compulsory.
“As this required amendment in Act the issue needs to be cleared by State Cabinet. If required, we will pass a Bill during the coming budget session,” she said.
The budget session of Uttar Pradesh starts from July that will continue for at least a month.
Joshi said that Supreme Court had made registration of marriage, irrespective of religion, mandatory. Though this order came in 2006, the then Government did nothing. As this is a serious matter, the Yogi Government has decided to take it up. “All legal suggestions have been sought. We will take the matter to the Cabinet,” she said.
The Supreme Court in
its order had directed all States and Union Territories to bring in suitable legislation to make registration of marriage compulsory. The court had said
that several States had made the registration of marriage compulsory only for the members of the Hindu community but it should be compulsory for all religion.
Joshi said that if the couples fail to get their marriages registered, they will be deprived of facilities that require marriage certificate.
Till date, only four States — Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka and Himachal Pradesh — have enacted laws for compulsory registrations of marriages.
“There are cases where unscrupulous husbands altogether deny marriage
leaving their wives in the lurch, be it for seeking maintenance, custody of children or inheritance of property. After registration, this will end,” the Minister said.