Letter No. 3990/G2/2022, Online Correction of Marriage Registration Certificates

What the letter governs

Letter No. 3990/G2/2022 dated 20 June 2022 from the Tamil Nadu Registration Department's Inspector General of Registration governs online applications for corrections to registered marriage certificates. Changes were made to the Star 2.0 software so that the parties to a marriage can apply online and receive a corrected certificate without visiting a registration office.

The procedure applies to marriages registered under:

• The Hindu Marriage Registration Act, 1955.
• The Tamil Nadu Registration of Marriages Act, 2009.
• The Special Marriage Act, 1954.

Application and initial review

An applicant must upload a scanned, self-attested supporting document for the requested correction. The application is sent to the Junior Assistant or Assistant at the Sub Registrar Office where the marriage was registered.

Registration staff must scan the original marriage application and the supporting documents submitted at the time of registration. These records, together with the staff member's note, are sent to the Sub Registrar for examination.

The software allows the application to be:

• Accepted.
• Returned to the applicant for correction or additional action.
• Rejected.

An applicant may address the issues stated in a returned application and resubmit it.

Decision process

For marriages under the Tamil Nadu Registration of Marriages Act, 2009, and the Special Marriage Act, 1954, the Sub Registrar examines and decides the request. If accepted, details of the correction are added as a footnote to the marriage certificate and the appropriate entry is made against the marriage register record. If rejected, no correction note can be added.

For marriages under the Hindu Marriage Registration Act, 1955, an application accepted by the Sub Registrar is forwarded through the Registration Department's G Section, the District Registrar (Guideline), and the Additional Inspector General of Registration (Intelligence). The Inspector General of Registration makes the final decision. An accepted correction is added as a footnote to the certificate, while a rejected request cannot be added.

Instructions to registration offices

Sub Registrars and supporting staff must examine online applications and documents promptly. Sub Registrar Offices must display the portal user manual on their notice boards and answer public questions about the online application process.