Hindu Marriage Not Valid Without Saptapadi, Says Madhya Pradesh High Court

In a significant ruling, the Madhya Pradesh High Court has reaffirmed that a Hindu marriage is not legally valid unless the Saptapadi (seven steps) ritual is performed. The court emphasized that Hindu marriages are not contracts and must follow religious traditions to be considered lawful.

The ruling came during the dismissal of a petition filed by four individuals seeking to quash an FIR registered against them for alleged offenses under Sections 366, 498-A, and 34 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

Case Background

The petitioners were accused of kidnapping the victim, forcibly taking her to Jabalpur, and coercing her into signing documents related to an alleged marriage with petitioner no. 1.

The petitioners’ lawyer argued that a valid marriage had taken place, as the couple had:

Exchanged garlands (Varmala)
Performed the Sindoor ceremony

However, the High Court rejected this argument, stating that there is no legal provision recognizing a marriage based solely on garland exchange or applying Sindoor.

Court’s Observations on Hindu Marriage

Justice Gurpal Singh Ahluwalia, who presided over the case, stressed the importance of Saptapadi in Hindu marriages. He stated:

“Unless and until Saptapadi is performed, there cannot be a valid marriage under Hindu law.”

The victim claimed she was forced to travel to Jabalpur and sign certain documents under duress. The court ruled that these allegations constituted a prima facie case of a cognizable offense and refused to stop the ongoing investigation.

Court’s Final Verdict

Dismissing the petition, the court stated:

No valid case was made for interfering with the FIR
The investigation should not be halted
Hindu marriages must follow traditional rituals to be legally binding

With this decision, the Madhya Pradesh High Court reinforced the significance of Saptapadi, ensuring that marriages under Hindu law adhere to prescribed rituals.

Be a part our social media community:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IndianMan.in?mibextid=ZbWKwL
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/indianman.in?igsh=MWZ2N3N0ZmpwM3l3cw==