The Delhi government on Wednesday informed the High Court that the physical presence of a couple, seeking registration of their marriage, before the authority concerned is mandatory and it cannot be done through videoconferencing.
The government’s counsel said that neither the rules nor the software used for registration of marriage permit parties to not appear physically. The counsel said the process of marriage registration includes a photograph of the couple being taken at the Sub-Divisional Magistrate’s (SDM) office.
Justice Rekha Palli, who was hearing a plea by a couple seeking registration of their marriage through videoconferencing, said the process to be undertaken only pertained to the registration of a marriage that has already happened.
“You are only registering something. They are not marrying in your presence,” the judge remarked.
Three days’ time
As the Delhi government was yet to submit its affidavit in the case, the court granted three days’ time to do so.
The counsel, appearing for the couple, submitted that all relevant documents have already been filed and the witnesses are ready to physically appear before the official concerned. The couple claimed that they got married in 2012 and were currently residing in the U.S.
They sought directions to the Delhi government to accept their online application for registration of marriage under the Delhi (Compulsory Registration of Marriage) Order, 2014, and permit them to appear before the authority concerned for the purpose of registration of their marriage through videoconferencing.
The court will hear the case again on September 6.
