Gandhinagar. The Government of Gujarat has proposed significant amendments to the Gujarat Registration of Marriage Act, 2006 with the aim of making the marriage registration process more transparent and robust. The Bhupendra Patel government said the changes are aimed at protecting daughters, protecting social traditions and ensuring accountability in the marriage process. State Deputy Chief Minister and Home Minister Harsh Sanghvi, while giving information about these amendments under Rule 44 in the Assembly, described them as ‘very important and sensitive’. He said that now formal participation of parents will be mandatory in the marriage registration process and a separate digital portal will be created for this.
Under the new system, official notice will be sent to the parents at the time of marriage registration and their consent will be considered an essential part of the process. Both parties and two witnesses must submit notarized documents along with the application. Proof like Aadhar card, passport or driving license will be mandatory for identification. Parents will also have to provide their full name, address, Aadhaar number and mobile number.
Harsh Sanghvi clarified that the government is not against love marriages, but preventing cases of fraud or duress is its priority. He said marriage is one of the 16 sacred rites of Hindu tradition and implicating a daughter by hiding her identity is a serious crime.
Deputy CM warned that if any person tries to trap the daughter of the state by posing as Salim, Suresh, then this government will do such a thing that in future it will not even dare to look at any daughter.
The decision was taken after cases surfaced in Panchmahal district, where hundreds of Nikah certificates were issued in villages like Kankodakui and Nathkuwa even though Muslim families were not present there. The government says that marrying by hiding one’s identity is an attack on culture and it is necessary to stop it.
Under the revised procedure, the Assistant Registrar will inform the parents within 10 working days of receiving the application and send the application to the District or Taluka Registrar. After completion of the verification process, marriage registration will be done in 30 days and certificate will be issued through online portal, which will contain serial number, page number and volume details.
The Home Minister said that before making these amendments, the Chief Minister was consulted and 30 rounds of discussions were held with social organizations. He said digitization and presence of local witnesses will increase transparency and accountability in the process.
The government has also invited suggestions and objections from the public on the new rules, which can be sent through the official website of the Department of Health and Family Welfare for the next 30 days. The suggestions received will be reviewed within the constitutional limits and the final decision will be taken.
Harsh Sanghvi said that the daughter is an invaluable asset of the family and society. There is no opposition to love marriage, but strict action will be taken in cases of deceit and pressure. The government reiterated that it is committed to protecting the dignity and ancient traditions of every daughter.
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