Sikh marriages to be registered under Anand Marriage Act

NEW DELHI: Sikh couples in Delhi will soon get a separate act to register their marriages.

Revenue minister Kailash Gahlot on Wednesday informed the Delhi Assembly that the government was in the final stage to finalise rules for implementing provisions of the Anand Marriage Act and that the same will be notified soon.

“We have held several meetings in the last three months. We are in the final stage to implement provisions of the Anand Marriage Act in Delhi. Once notified, new Sikh marriages will be registered under this act,” Gahlot told the House.

At present, Sikh couples in Delhi have to get their marriages registered under the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955. The Anand Marriage Act has been passed by the Centre, but its implementation is pending in Delhi. However, Sikhs, whose marriages have already been registered under this act, are not required to get their wedding registered under the Hindu Marriage Act.

The minister’s assurance came after Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Manjinder Singh Sirsa demanded that the Delhi government should implement provisions of the act in order to give rights to the Sikh community.

“The Anand Marriage Act for the Sikh community will help Sikhs while applying for a visa. We had a meeting with the law minister and discussed some possible amendments that could be made into this,” AAP MLA Avtar Singh Kalka told the House.