‘Love Jihad’ will end in Gujarat! Now it will be difficult to get married by hiding identity, preparation for change in marriage registration rules

Gujarat: The Gujarat government has taken a big decision to ban ‘Love Jihad’ marriages, which has sparked a new debate regarding love marriage and its registration process. The state government is preparing changes in the ‘Marriage Registration Act’. After the proposed amendments, registering a marriage by hiding your identity or without informing the family will not be as easy as before. The government says that this step is being taken to make the process transparent and safe.

Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghvi told in the state assembly that complaints were being received about misuse of the existing rules. Many social organizations and citizens had demanded improvements in the marriage registration process. The government is now going to bring amendments in the ‘Marriage Registration Act’ so that the alleged shortcomings can be removed. While speaking in the House, he mentioned ‘Love Jihad’ and called it a cultural challenge. He said that the state government cannot ignore this issue and necessary legal steps will be taken.

What changes will there be in the new rules?

According to the government’s draft, it will now be mandatory to present every marriage registration application before the Assistant Registrar. The bride and groom will have to give a written declaration whether they have informed their parents about the marriage or not. Apart from this, it will be necessary to give the name, address, Aadhaar number and contact details of the parents in the application.

After investigation by the Assistant Registrar, information will be sent to the parents within ten working days. When all the conditions are fulfilled, the application will be sent to the concerned district or taluka registrar. The marriage will be registered only 30 days after confirmation. The entire process will be uploaded on a new online portal, which will be developed by the government.

Suggestions sought from public

The government has sought objections and suggestions from the general public on the proposed amendments for 30 days. People can register their opinion through the website of the Health and Family Welfare Department. Final rules will be issued based on the suggestions received.

Political support and objection

This proposal has also received support from some MLAs. Aam Aadmi Party MLA Hemant Ahir and BJP MLA Lovingji Thakor called it the need of the hour. They allege that some people take advantage of the shortcomings of the existing process and influence girls in a wrong way.

However, legal experts have different opinions. He says that marriage registration is an administrative process, which needs to be balanced with the personal freedom of adults. The Supreme Court has already clarified that an adult person has the right to marry of his choice, which is a part of the fundamental rights. In such a situation, questions may arise on the constitutional validity of the new rules and aspects related to privacy. Political analysts believe that this step can affect social and cultural issues as well as the electoral environment.