THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Henceforth, notices containing the details, including photographs, of couples who intend to get married under the Special Marriage Act will be displayed only in front of the sub-registrar’s office concerned. The practice of uploading the details on the Registration Department website has been discontinued. The registration department has effected the change in the wake of a section of people downloading the profiles and using them to threaten inter-faith couples who intend to get married, thereby spreading religious discord.
As per The Special Marriage Act, 1954, those who intend to get married are asked to submit a notice regarding the same to the sub-registrar’s office. This is displayed in front of the office. In 2018, the rule was amended and the photos of the couples were also included.
With the services of registration department going online, the notices were also uploaded on the registration department website. Registration minister G Sudhakaran’s office said in a release that numerous complaints regarding misuse of the details furnished on the website have come out. Based on the minister’s direction, the inspector general (Registration) had conducted an inquiry into the complaints.