The Hindu : National : Panel for compulsory marriage registration

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Tuesday, Aug 14, 2007
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Panel for compulsory marriage registration

Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI: A parliamentary panel has recommended compulsory registration of marriages, irrespective of religion, to provide valid evidence of the alliance that will protect the rights of a woman, particularly in marriages with non-resident Indians, in case of desertion.

In a report on the “Plight of Indian Women Deserted by NRI Husbands,” tabled in the Lok Sabha, the Committee on Empowerment of Women said compulsory registration would enable embassies to have full information on the marriage while keeping track of an erring NRI husband.

The committee has also suggested that the marriage certificate for an NRI marriage be issued in duplicate so that a deserted woman could fight a legal battle even if the original is taken away by the husband.

The committee feels that there is a need to amend the Passport Act for including detailed particulars along with photographs of the spouse and adding special provision for cancellation of the passport of an NRI spouse.

Expressing unhappiness over the duplicity of the agencies involved, the committee has suggested that the Ministry of Overseas Indians be the nodal ministry that would take steps to evolve a well-defined mechanism to deal with the problem of NRI marriages. While asking families to be more careful when going in for marriages with NRIs, the committee has asked the Ministry of External Affairs to ensure that there is a provision for submission of an affidavit by a potential NRI husband that will indicate his economic, marital and citizenship status with respect to the host country.

Other recommendations include signing of The Hague Convention, mutual legal assistance treaties and extradition treaties with the countries where Indians are in large numbers.

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