Marriage Bill row
SHILLONG: Striving for the implementation of Meghalaya Compulsory Registration of Marriage Bill, Mait Shaprang Movement convener, Michael Syiem staged a protest in front of the Secretariat here on Friday.
Syiem, who has been campaigning for the cause for the last 30 years, stood alone with a placard at the main gate of the Secretariat from 1 pm to 4 pm protesting against the delay in framing of rules for the Meghalaya Compulsory Registration of Marriage Act, 2012.
Syiem added that the MSM will intensify the agitation if the government fails to respond on the matter.
He said that as part of the 30th year of the campaign the movement had also put up banners across the city but many of them have been torn down.
Campaigning for the implementation of the Act since 1986, Syiem recollected that the Act was passed in the State Assembly in 2012 without any debate. He said that the rules of the Act have to be approved by the State Cabinet.
The Act envisages compulsory registration of all marriages between people belonging to any caste, tribe or religion and it would also include registration of re-marriages and live-in relationships.