THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Only when those in power address a deserving person’s grievance individually does democracy become more meaningful. The local-self government department came up with one such rare gesture when it decided to register a marriage that took place 53 years ago. Both the husband and the wife had passed away, and the legal registration is being done to help their mentally-challenged son apply and avail of the family pension of the father, who had been a soldier.
“The decision was based on the request by his only son. Sanction has been given to register the marriage,” Local Self-Government Minister M V Govindan said on Wednesday.The couple hailing from Sekhareepuram in Palakkad had tied the knot on June 4, 1969 at a local temple. Marriage registration was not mandatory back then. The wife died in 1998 and husband in 2015. The son’s request for a family pension was rejected as the military records did not have details of the kin of the deceased.
The Kerala Registration of Marriages (Common) Rules, 2008, provides for registering a marriage even if one of the partners is dead. The law does not mention registering a marriage in which both the partners are dead. The minister had sought advice from the law department on the matter. The legal advice was in favour of the applicant.
Laws, rules are to resolve people’s basic issues: Min
The legal advice cited that the 2008 rules did not mention conditions for such a registration and also the fact that marriage registration was not mandatory then. “The decision is based on the finding that family pension was necessary to ensure the protection and livelihood of the mentally challenged son. Laws and rules are to solve the basic issues of people and to cater to their needs. Humanitarian consideration will be given priority in deserving cases,” said Govindan.