Explanation: How to register a marriage in Mumbai
To register a marriage in Mumbai, the Regulation of Marriage Bureaux and Marriage Registration Act 1998 of Maharashtra governs marriages in Maharashtra. There are other laws, specific to religions, such as the Parsi Marriage and Divorce Act, 1936 and the Indian Christian Marriage Act, 1972. For interfaith partnerships, the Special Marriage Act, 1954 is available for those who opt for interreligious relations. or inter-caste marriage or generally for standard court marriages with no emphasis on personal beliefs.
What are the eligibility criteria for a couple to marry?
Men over 21 and women over 18 can marry. Under the Special Marriage Act 1954, both partners must be over 21 years of age. They must to announce mental stability in the marriage application form.
Marriages between half-blood, full-blood or half-blood relatives are listed in the First Schedule of the Special Marriage Act 1954 and in the activities section of www.igrmaharashtra.gov.in as forbidden. Adv Pradeep Pandey, a lawyer in charge of marriage registration processes, says most marriage formalities are based on self-declarations and not court checks. False statements could result in legal action.
Does religion determine the appropriate law for marriage registration?
People of all faiths, including atheists or agnostics, are free to marry under the Special Marriage Act 1954. Couples must carry Aadhaar cards and be prepared to authorize their biometric verification for registration marriage.
When must a marriage be registered?
The registration of marriages can be carried out either after a religious priest has celebrated the union, or it can also be celebrated directly at the office of the non-commissioned officer of civil status, or at the old customs (for those who residing in the city of Mumbai) or at the Khar Telephone Exchange Building (for those residing in the suburbs of Mumbai). Although the BMC has no provision for celebrating weddings, you can apply register marriages that have already been performed by a religious priest.
The residence of either partner will be taken into account for the jurisdiction of the registration of the marriage. Information about this is available on the website of the Registration and Stamps Service, in the “Offices” section under the “Organization” column.
Which offices check in?
It depends on the religion. Christians, Parsis and Jews, who have been solemnized, must register with the Registrar General of Marriages office in Pune in line.
The priests of these religious establishments directly share the details of marriages performed by them with the Registrar General of Marriages at the office of Inspector General of Registration and Controller of Stamps in Pune. The married couple should request a copy of their registered marriage certificate either in line or in person in Pune by submitting their ceremony details with Form 16 for registration in government records. Registrars of some Christian denominations, such as the Church of North India, apply for registration directly there and collect marriage registration certificates from Pune and send them to the couple through their respective churches.
Marriages of Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Jains and Buddhists are registered with the local BMC office or here, under the Regulation of Marriage Bureaux and Marriage Registration Act 1998 of Maharashtra. The couple must submit their photos along with photos of the wedding card and the contact details of the priest who performed their wedding. A translated copy of Nikahnama, the Muslim Marriage Certificate, if in Urdu, must also be submitted. Interfaith marriages are not registered under this law unless one of the partners converts. They must produce certificates of conversionaccompanied by an affidavit from the priest who performed the conversion.
What if my marriage is not celebrated?
If your marriage is not solemnized by a religious priest, then you have the option of registering a judicial marriage, which would be solemnized by a designated civil registrar, who is authorized by the Special Marriage Act 1954 This is an appointed government official, either in the form of a Gram Sevak in a village panchayat or by government officials appointed as registrars to register marriages in their jurisdictions.
How to start the process?
You can either submit a registration request in line, with forms available in the “Draft Notices” section under the “Downloads” column or directly at the Registrar’s office in Khar or Fort. After the applications, the documents are reviewed and an appointment is granted. During the allotted time, the couple must present original documents accompanied by three witnesses. You can seek to have a legal marriage in good and due form where the couple must affirm in front of the civil registrar that they accept each other as a partner. There is also a provision for summoning a registrar to a room or home to register a marriage in the presence of three witnesses. A registered marriage certificate is provided after the marriage is officially registered in the marriage registry.
What documents are needed for marriage registration?
Apart from the Aadhaar details of the bride and groom, government issued ID and proof of address of the bride and groom and the three witnesses must be submitted with the application. A copy of the bride and groom’s proof of age in the form of their birth certificate or school leaving certificate must also be submitted.
What other documents might be required?
If the partners are divorced, they must provide a copy of their divorce decree. And if the partners are widows/widowers, they must present a copy of the death certificate of their former spouse.
How long does it take to register a marriage under the Act?
Following an application for marriage registration, a public notice is posted at the registry office for 30 days to invite objections to the intended marriage. If someone objects, following the public notice, the registrar can refuse to register the marriage. Appeals can be forwarded to the office of the Registrar General of Marriages, Pune, who is authorized to cancel or accept the order. The rejection can be challenged in court to determine how to proceed. According to Adv Pradeep Pandey, public notices are generally unobjectionable.
When must a marriage be registered?
A solemnized marriage must be registered with the government within 90 days to avoid. fines. If registration is delayed beyond one year of solemnization, a fine of Rs 200 could be imposed.
What are the consequences of an unregistered marriage?
A marriage performed by a religious priest is not considered legal and valid until the government registration process is completed. The marriage registration process is Very important because it grants the maintenance of the couple, the inheritance, the rights of succession for the children, etc. It is also important for processes such as joint loans and joint investments. Registration also facilitates the processing of passports, visas and other international formalities.
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A detailed FAQ is available in the Espace Citoyen section of http://igrmaharashtra.gov.in, including brief provisions of the various laws governing marriages. Alternatively, you can call 8888007777 to clear your queries daily between 7 a.m. and 9 p.m.