Delhi HC Demands Online Marriage Registration for All Faiths

The Delhi High Court has directed city authorities to enable online registration of marriages for Muslim and Christian communities under the Compulsory Registration of Marriage Order, 2014. Despite an earlier promise, no established procedure exists, leading to the court terming it a 'systemic failure.'

The Delhi High Court has mandated city authorities to facilitate the online registration of marriages for Muslim and Christian couples under the Compulsory Registration of Marriage Order, 2014.

The court emphasized the necessity of these registrations to ensure smoother administrative processes for citizens.

Justice Sanjeev Narula pointed out that despite assurances from the authorities, no procedure was established for such registrations, labeling the inaction a 'systemic failure.'

Judge Narula commented that the issue has lingered since the authorities' 2021 commitment to issue administrative instructions for online registrations of marriages solemnized under Muslim and Christian personal laws.

The lack of such procedures complicates legal requirements for individuals, such as obtaining visas and asserting rights dependent on official marriage recognition.

The court directed the IT and Marriage Branch of the Revenue Department of Delhi to take immediate steps to enable these registrations on the Delhi government’s marriage registration portal, to prevent future administrative obstacles.

The order came after a couple, married under Muslim rites in 1995, sought a registration certificate for a visa application but found no option on the portal for their marriage under the Compulsory Registration of Marriage Order.

The court noted that the authorities suggested such couples could apply under the Special Marriage Act, which overlooks the specific provisions for Muslim marriages in the Compulsory Registration of Marriage Order.

The court criticized the authorities for failing to implement sufficient measures for marriage registration under the 2014 Order and directed them to process the petitioners' application if it met eligibility criteria.