Parts of circular on marriage registration withdrawn

Sub-registrars have been asked not to insist on documents relating to parents

Registration authorities in Tamil Nadu on Wednesday withdrew certain parts of a circular issued in September last year to sub-registrars that called for the identity documents of parents for those seeking to change details that they have already registered under the Hindu Marriages Act.

The earlier circular had raised apprehensions that parental consent may be required for registering marriages, as it had referred to verification of original documents relating to parents such as identity proof and death certificates. The latest circular clarifies that Aadhaar numbers of parents, which were allowed as additional documentary proof, should be accepted only as identity proof, and that it was not mandatory.

Secondly, the reference to verification of the documentary proof of parents with the original documents has been dropped. To ensure that names, initials and addresses are not wrongly recorded, the details pertaining to the couple and the witnesses should be verified against the documents relating to them.

Death certificates

Thirdly, the circular makes it clear that the death certificates of parents are not necessary for registration. It was enough that any of the parents of either party to the marriage, if they were no more, are referred to as ‘late’. The earlier circular had wanted sub-registrars to verify the death of the parents by looking at the original death certificates.

Clearing the air, IG- Registration J. Kumaragurubaran said the Act empowered only the IG Registration to make corrections in the details submitted while registering a marriage.

The first circular, he said, was aimed at easing the trouble of people having to approach the IG office in Chennai to get changes made and hence sub-registrars were given the powers to do so.

Asked why some sub-registrars were asking couples to bring parents for registering their marriages, Mr. Kumaragurubaran said: “I am not sure if there are any field-level issues on this. But if any complaints are brought to my knowledge, I will definitely take action.”