Lucknow: Following the directives from Supreme Court (SC), the Uttar Pradesh government has decided to make registration of marriages mandatory in order to avail government facilities that require a marriage certificate.
The announcement to this effect was made by Women Welfare Minister Rita Bahuguna Joshi here today.
Talking to mediapersons, she said that BJP government had decided registration of marriages compulsory, irrespective of religion.
"As this requires amendment in Act, the issue will be cleared by State Cabinet. If required, a bill could be passed regarding this during coming budget session ," she said. The Budget session of UP starts from July that would continue for at least a month.
Ms Joshi said that SC had made registration of marriage, irrespective of religion, mandatory. ''Though this order came in 2006, but the Samajwadi Party government ruling the state that time, did nothing in this regard. As this was an important issue, the Yogi Government had decided to take it up,'' she said.
"All legal suggestions have been sought. We will take the matter to cabinet," she informed.
The SC in its order, had directed all the States and Union Territories (UT) to bring in a suitable legislation to make registration of marriage compulsory. The Top 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 applied for 'all' religions.
Ms Joshi said that if the couples fail to get their marriage registered, they will be deprived of government 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 when unscrupulous husband altogether deny marriage, leaving his wife in the lurch, be it for seeking maintenance, custody of children or inheritance of property. After registration of marriage, this will end," she added.