Gujarat's new marriage rule: couples must inform parents, get feedback
Gujarat is planning a new rule: before registering their marriage, applicants would be required to declare on the registration form whether their parents are aware and to provide their parents' contact and Aadhaar details;
the assistant registrar would then be required to notify parents (via WhatsApp/SMS or other means) within 10 working days.
Announced by Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi, the move comes after some communities pushed for more transparency and aims to address concerns about elopements and so-called "love jihad."
What's the process?
If this goes through, couples will have to declare whether their parents are aware of the marriage and share both families' details with the registrar.
Parents get notified via WhatsApp or text within 10 working days. There's also a 30-day verification period and a chance for public feedback online.
Supporters say it protects families' feelings, but critics point out that adults have the right to marry who they want—something even the Supreme Court has backed—so privacy concerns and legal challenges could be on the horizon.