NEW DELHI: Concerned over honour killings, the CIC has suggested to the Central and State governments to include a declaration by couples intending court marriage, if they apprehended a threat to their life and liberty.
Information Commissioner Sridhar Acharyulu also said that couples should be allowed to seek police protection from the registrar if marriage was to be performed under the Special Marriage Act.
The Commission also directed marriage officers to ensure that the 30-day mandatory notice under the Special Marriage Act was widely circulated, to help interested persons (including parents) to raise objections.
If no one filed an objection, then the officer would solemnise the marriage after 30 day notice period. If the marriage officer refuses to solemnise the marriage, any of the parties may file an appeal within 30 days to the District Court.
He said the notice was required to prevent marriage between persons within degrees of prohibited relationship, bigamous marriages (while a spouse is alive and no valid divorce has been obtained), marriages without valid consent (not having attained age of giving valid consent), a spouse who might be insane, or persons not having attained the prescribed marriageable age etc.
“However, there is a negative angle to this (notice). Violent social consequences of inter-caste and inter-religious love marriages cannot be ignored. The khap panchayats and their mandates coupled with honour killings are shocking developments emanating from the exercise of freedom of choice of life partner,” Acharyulu said.