Now, police consent must for weddings, funerals in Odisha
In Odisha, now parents have to take prior police permission for solemnisation of marriage of their children. To obtain the permission, they must write applications or send email messages to the inspectors of local police stations.
Solemnising marriage without police permission shall be treated as an offence and liable to judicial trial under appropriate law, the state government announced on Thursday.
In an order aimed at containing the Covid-19 spread, the state government authorised the local police station to give permission for holding marriage and its related functions subject to participation of maximum 50 persons.
The order said there shall be no marriage procession until further directive and the total participants in the wedding venue including groom, bride, family members of groom and bride, friends, relatives, guests, priests, personnel of support
services like food’ preparation and distribution, will have to strictly adhere to social distancing.
“Other permissions, if any required, shall be obtained from the competent authority (ies) and conditions therein shall be complied with. Persons with symptoms of
Influenza-Like Infection (lLI) and Severe Acute Respiratory infection (SARI) shall not be allowed to the marriage venue/ function,” the order said.
Vulnerable groups of people, such as, persons above 65 years of age, children below 10 years, persons with co-morbidities and pregnant women are advised not to attend the function. At least two metres of physical distance shall be maintained between individuals during marriage function, the government said in the order. The order made it mandatory that all persons in the marriage venue shall use face mask during the entire period of the function except during eating.
“Chewing of gutka and paan and spitting in public has been strictly prohibited. The father / guardian of the groom shall ensure adherence to this. The host of the marriage will ensure elaborate arrangement for hand washing with soap and water and also ensure availability of hand sanitisers,” the order said.