Good news for couples, Delhi relaxes marriage rules

NEW DELHI - Haryana’s khap panchayats, infamous for driving people to death or out of their clans and villages, be damned. Delhi is offering itself as the haven to run-away couples.

Providing a helping hand to couples, the Delhi government Monday declared that a couple can marry in the capital and register their marriage within hours even if they don’t have a residential address here.

At a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, the Delhi cabinet decided to issue a notification to amend the Delhi Hindu Marriage Registration Rules, 1956.

Until now, the Delhi Hindu Marriage Registration Rules, 1956 prohibited any couple from applying for registration of marriage here until it was proved that either of them or their in-laws had lived in the capital for at least 30 days before the wedding.

After the meeting, Dikshit announced that a decision has been taken to do away with the provisions in clause 7 for sub-clause 6 for registration of marriage in Delhi. “The rules have been relaxed and people can now register their marriage after showing the relevant papers,” she added.

The new proposal was moved in the cabinet by Principal Secretary (Revenue) D.M. Sapolia.

Revenue Minister Raj Kumar Chauhan said the only condition the couple need to meet is that their marriage should have taken place in the capital.

Officials believe couples facing the heat from khap panchayats for marrying within the same ‘gotra’ or sub-caste will get a helping hand now.

Furthermore, it would also be easy for them to get police protection in case of a threat to their love marriage or any fear of retaliation from their kin.

There have been many cases of honour killings of young couples at the behest of khap panchayats, or caste councils, which oppose marriages within the same gotra, or sub-caste.