Quick Arya Samaj marriages which come in handy for lovers in a hurry will have to undergo changes following a Rajasthan High Court directive.
A division bench of the court has placed a ban on such marriage unless parents of both the bride and bridegroom are informed through the police.
A bench comprising justices Dalip Singh and Sajjan Singh Kothari also ruled that no love marriage through Arya Samaj will be allowed to be solemnised unless it has been approved and recommended by two distinguished person of both the sides.
It has been made compulsory that both the boy and girl produce three prominent persons as witness of the marriage from either side at Arya Samaj if their parents object to the marriage.
The court directed that in case Arya Samaj authorities decide to go ahead with the ceremony despite objections of the parents, they will have to separately record the reasons for entering into such a marriage.
Expressing displeasure over the manner in which such marriages are being conducted by the Arya Samaj in Rajasthan, the court said, “Local units have lost sight of the pious purpose of the Arya Samaj mission. These marriages land in courts, resulting in irreversible breakdowns”.
In its order, the court directed that at least six days time must be given to the parents of both side to take a conscious decision on such a love marriage.
“It takes them one hour to solemnise a marriage between an 18-year-old girl and a 38 or 40-year-old man which leaves scars forever in the life of parents. We cannot allow society to suffer due to the outcome of such marriages,” observed Justice Kothari.
The bench passed this order on a Habeas Corpus petition filed by 34-year-old Buddha Ram Meena who entered into such a marriage with 18-year-old Maina Bhatt. The parents of girl took her away when they found out.
