Delhi govt asks officials to avoid notices to parents of 'love birds' getting married

In a circular to the officials, the Delhi state government has issued a directive, asking them not to send notices to parents, if such marriages take place in future.

New Delhi: For solemnization of marriage as per Special Marriage Act 1954, the Delhi government has assured that under the said Act, 'lovebirds' will not face any difficulty.

Citing a Supreme Court order stating that those who have attained marriageable age should not be put into trouble, besides sending letters to officials in a circular form, the Delhi state government urged them (officials) not to send notices to parents, if such marriages take place in future.

The Delhi government had given a reference of the Supreme Court's order in this regard, to officials of the department concerned.

An incident in August had put this Act into limelight. A notice was sent to parents, when a couple from inter-religious faith approached a Delhi government official for marriage registration purpose.

After the receipt of the notice, the girl's parents had abducted their daughter; but when the boy had filed a habeas corpus before a magistrate, she had been freed from their clutches. The girl had then refused to go to their parents' house after the incident.

Therefore, the court in its order had asked police to provide security to the couple.

Similar to the aforementioned case, in October 2020, the Delhi High Court had issued notices to Central and Delhi governments, wherein, the court asked both the governments to reply regarding the issuance of public notice at the time of registration of marriage, besides giving thirty days time to file objection, if any.

To which the Union government, in its reply in February 2021, had sought quashing of the said order.

The Central said in a plea to court that they had to take security concern of the all the parties concerned, into consideration.

But, then, after the issuance of the notice, if any person raises an objection, then the official concerned will not issue a marriage certificate, till the completion of the probe, it said.