The Supreme Court has ruled that a marriage certificate cannot be considered proof of a valid Hindu marriage unless the proper marriage ceremonies have been performed. The court emphasized that just having a marriage certificate does not establish a marriage under the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955 (HMA) if no ceremony, like saptapadi (the seven steps), has been conducted.
A two-judge bench, consisting of Justice B.V. Nagarathna and Justice Augustine George Masih, clarified that for a marriage to be valid under Hindu law, the appropriate rituals must be followed. Without these ceremonies, the court noted, there is no marriage in the eyes of the law, and a certificate issued without such ceremonies does not confer marital status.
The case involved a transfer petition filed by a wife seeking to move a divorce case from Bihar to Jharkhand. The couple, both commercial pilots, had obtained a marriage certificate in 2021 but had not performed the traditional Hindu marriage ceremonies. Later, disputes arose, and the wife accused the husband of dowry harassment and unnatural behavior, leading to a legal battle.
The Supreme Court ruled that even though the parties had received a marriage certificate, the lack of ceremonies such as saptapadi meant there was no valid Hindu marriage. As per Section 7 of the HMA, a marriage is only valid when the necessary customs or rituals are observed.
The court also stressed that marriage is a sacred institution in Indian society, providing legitimacy to children born from the union and a lifelong commitment between spouses. Without the proper rites, the court declared that the marriage between the parties was null and void, and the marriage certificate issued was invalid.
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