The Crossbill News Desk
The Uttar Pradesh government has revised its marriage registration norms following an interim order by the Allahabad High Court aimed at curbing fraudulent registrations. Under the new guidelines, marriages can now be registered in a city only if either the bride, the groom, or one of their parents is a “general” resident of that city.
This marks a shift from the earlier rule that allowed marriages to be registered wherever the ceremony was held.
The revised directive follows a suo motu order issued by the High Court on May 12, in which Justice Vinod Diwakar flagged the existence of an organised syndicate that allegedly facilitated fraudulent marriage registrations using forged documents.
The court directed the state to amend the Uttar Pradesh Marriage Registration Rules, 2017, within six months to curb such malpractices.
According to reports, officials tasked with marriage registration must now adhere to stringent verification protocols issued on October 14, 2024. These include Aadhaar-based biometric authentication of both bride and groom, photographic documentation of the couple and two witnesses, and age verification via official databases such as DigiLocker, CBSE, UP Board, CISCE, Passport, PAN, and driving licence records.
The court has also ruled that unregistered rent agreements will no longer be accepted as valid proof of residence. Additionally, the person who solemnises the marriage must be physically present at the time of registration and must submit a sworn affidavit.
As reported by Hindustan Times, these measures were prompted in part by jurisdictional concerns, particularly in Ghaziabad, which had become a frequent destination for runaway couples seeking legal protection from their families after registering marriages there. Officials cited numerous petitions filed in the High Court by such couples, often from outside the district, requesting safety and legal validation.
Assistant Inspector General (Stamps), Pushpendra Kumar, confirmed that the state has ordered the immediate implementation of the interim court directions until formal amendments to the rules are made.
“One of the main components of the directions states that a marriage will be registered in a particular city only if either the bride or the groom or their parents are generally the residents of the same city,” Kumar told the newspaper.
However, the move has sparked concerns among legal experts and rights activists. Advocate Anubhav Singh has argued that the new restrictions could serve to curtail inter-caste and inter-religious marriages in the state.
Kumar noted that such administrative tightening complements existing laws like the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act, 2020 — widely criticised as a tool to discourage interfaith marriages under the pretext of curbing so-called ‘love jihad,’ a term promoted by right-wing groups without legal or factual basis.
Critics fear that the combination of bureaucratic hurdles and ideological campaigns could increasingly make it difficult for consenting adult couples, especially those from different castes or religions, to marry without interference in Uttar Pradesh.
This marks a shift from the earlier rule that allowed marriages to be registered wherever the ceremony was held.
The revised directive follows a suo motu order issued by the High Court on May 12, in which Justice Vinod Diwakar flagged the existence of an organised syndicate that allegedly facilitated fraudulent marriage registrations using forged documents.
The court directed the state to amend the Uttar Pradesh Marriage Registration Rules, 2017, within six months to curb such malpractices.
According to reports, officials tasked with marriage registration must now adhere to stringent verification protocols issued on October 14, 2024. These include Aadhaar-based biometric authentication of both bride and groom, photographic documentation of the couple and two witnesses, and age verification via official databases such as DigiLocker, CBSE, UP Board, CISCE, Passport, PAN, and driving licence records.
The court has also ruled that unregistered rent agreements will no longer be accepted as valid proof of residence. Additionally, the person who solemnises the marriage must be physically present at the time of registration and must submit a sworn affidavit.
As reported by Hindustan Times, these measures were prompted in part by jurisdictional concerns, particularly in Ghaziabad, which had become a frequent destination for runaway couples seeking legal protection from their families after registering marriages there. Officials cited numerous petitions filed in the High Court by such couples, often from outside the district, requesting safety and legal validation.
Assistant Inspector General (Stamps), Pushpendra Kumar, confirmed that the state has ordered the immediate implementation of the interim court directions until formal amendments to the rules are made.
“One of the main components of the directions states that a marriage will be registered in a particular city only if either the bride or the groom or their parents are generally the residents of the same city,” Kumar told the newspaper.
However, the move has sparked concerns among legal experts and rights activists. Advocate Anubhav Singh has argued that the new restrictions could serve to curtail inter-caste and inter-religious marriages in the state.
Kumar noted that such administrative tightening complements existing laws like the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act, 2020 — widely criticised as a tool to discourage interfaith marriages under the pretext of curbing so-called ‘love jihad,’ a term promoted by right-wing groups without legal or factual basis.
Critics fear that the combination of bureaucratic hurdles and ideological campaigns could increasingly make it difficult for consenting adult couples, especially those from different castes or religions, to marry without interference in Uttar Pradesh.
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