Clarification on Hindu Marriage Registration Procedures

What the letter governs

Letter No. 11946/G2/2018-2 dated 14 March 2018 was sent by the Head of the Registration Department to all Deputy Heads of the Registration Department, District Registrars and Sub Registrars. It governs checks and supporting documents used by registration officers when registering marriages under the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955 and the Hindu Marriage Rules, 1967.

The guidance is relevant to Hindu marriage applicants, their parents, witnesses and registration officers. It concerns marriage registration, not land registration.

Aadhaar and identity documents

The Registration Department clarified the role of Aadhaar in Hindu marriage registration:

• Aadhaar may be accepted as an identity document.
• Aadhaar is not compulsory for marriage registration.
• Registration officers should not insist that applicants produce Aadhaar as a mandatory document.

Verification before registration

Registration officers must carefully compare the information in the application with the supporting documents submitted by the parties. In particular:

• The names, initials and addresses of the bride and groom must match their supporting documents.
• The names, initials and addresses of witnesses must also match their supporting documents.
• These checks must be completed before the marriage is registered, to reduce later correction requests.

Death certificates involving parents or former spouses

Letter No. 11946/G2/2018-2 dated 14 March 2018 distinguishes between a deceased parent and a deceased spouse:

• If the application states that a parent of either party is deceased, adding “Late” before that parent’s name is sufficient. A death certificate for the parent need not be requested.
• If either party applies as a widow or widower, the requirement remains unchanged. The registration officer must inspect the original death certificate of the deceased spouse and obtain a copy for the file before registration.

Corrections to marriage certificates

Rule 13A of the Hindu Marriage Rules, 1967 permits corrections only to the name, age, date and address. The Head of the Registration Department alone is authorised under the rules to make these corrections, including where a certificate contains a typing error or where incorrect application details were not properly compared with supporting documents.

Correction requests relating to names or dates of birth are received through the Sub Registrar and District Registrar before being sent to the Head of the Registration Department. Registration officers are therefore directed to verify details carefully at the initial registration stage.