Marriage Act
SHILLONG:Mait Shaprang Movement (MSM) convener Micheal Syiem has asserted that the State Marriage Act is not to interfere, dilute or infringe any of the existing laws on marriage by any religious groups but to address the serious social problem of broken families.
The statement came from Syiem after three Church leaders filed a writ petition in the High Court of Meghalaya challenging the validity of the Meghalaya Compulsory Registration of Marriage Act, 2012.
Speaking to media persons here on Tuesday, Syiem said the Act, which has been passed after a long struggle, would address the issue of broken marriages resulting in an increasing number of single parents with no maintenance support because of unregistered marriages.
“I sincerely urge the opposing pastors to engage with the state government on which sections/rules to amend and which one to delete,” he said while asserting that the solution is to make the Act simple for the public.
Stating that it is easy for Khasi men to walk out of a marriage, especially if it is unregistered, Syiem pointed out that even the Supreme Court had intervened into the matter after seeking the views of the National Commission for Women since the problem is confined not only to Meghalaya but extended to the entire country.
The Apex court in its order passed in February 2006 had asked the Centre and states to comply with the directive that registration of marriages be made compulsory within three months and seek opinion from the public to come up with Rules which spell out the consequences of non-registration of marriage. Besides, the Supreme Court had also directed all states and union territories to legislate making registration of marriages mandatory for people of all faiths.
The writ petition filed by Rev Senborly Diengngan, Rev Thanlijoy Diengdoh
and Rev P Gleamland Khongsdir had maintained that the State government should exempt Christian marriages as there is already a central law.
Syiem, however, felt that there should be no comparison between the different religious marriage laws and the Meghalaya Compulsory Registration of Marriage Act, 2012, as their roles and functions are different.
He suggested that either attested copies or a third copy of the marriage certificate with particulars solemnised by the religious institution are sent by these bodies to the Registrar of Marriages for maintaining official records and statistics.
The Mait Shaprang convener questioned the opposing pastors for failing to respond when the Act was still in its drafting stage despite the government seeking for views and opinions from all concerned.
Syiem was also of the opinion that if exemption is made only for Christians, all religious bodies will have equal right to demand for exemption which in turn will defeat the very purpose and objective of the State Act.
