‘State Govt should frame rules for Compulsory Registration of Marriage Act within 2 months’
SHILLONG: Disappointed over the failure of the State Government to frame rules for the Meghalaya Compulsory Registration of Marriage Act, 2012, Mait Shaphrang Movement (MSM) Convenor Michael Syiem has threatened to resort to an indefinite hunger strike if the Government fails to formulate the rules within two months.
“The Government is yet to finalise the rules even after we had submitted a memorandum to the government on August 13, 2013, reminding it to frame the rules. We had also taken up the matter with former Chief Secretary W.M.S. Pariat,” Syiem said on Thursday.
Expressing surprise that the State Government had hastily approved the Meghalaya Street Vendors and Protection of Livelihood and Regulation Bill, 2014 and had even decided to pass an ordinance in this regard, Syiem said that the State Government had not set its priorities right.
“The government has failed to formulate the rules even as the number of broken families continues to increase in the State,” he said.
The proposed Act includes compulsory registration of all marriages between people belonging to any caste, tribe or religion contracted as per the customs, practices or traditions. It would also include registration of re-marriages and live-in relationships.
He further said that the MSM will also lobby for introduction of the Equitable Distribution of Self Acquired & Ancestral Property Act in the Assembly.
“We feel that the government should also pass a bill on the equitable distribution of self-acquired and ancestral wealth,” Syiem said.
