Maharashtra Regulation of Marriage Bureaus and Registration of Marriages Act, 1998
No: 20 Dated: Apr, 15 1999
THE MAHARASHTRA REGULATION OF MARRIAGE BUREAUS AND REGISTRATION OF MARRIAGES ACT, 1998
ACT No. XX OF 1999
An Act to provide for a comprehensive and stringent law for regulation of marriage bureaus for prevention of malpractices and misuse of marriage registration facility ; and for compulsory registration of marriages in the State of Maharashtra ; and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.
WHEREAS it is expedient to make a comprehensive and stringent law for regulation of marriage bureaus for prevention of mal-practices and misuse of marriage registration facility; and for compulsory registration of marriages in the State of Maharashtra, and to provide for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto;
It is hereby enacted in the Forty-ninth Year of the Republic of India as follows :—
1. Short title and commencement:- (1) This Act may be called the Maharashtra Regulation of Marriage Bureaus and Registration of Marriages Act, 1998.
(2) It shall come into force on such date as the State Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, appoint.
2. Definitions:- In this Act, unless there is anything repugnant in the subject or context,—
(a) “Government” means the Government of Maharashtra in the Public Health Department;
(b) “marriage” includes a re-marriage;
(c) “ marriage bureau” or “bureau” means a bureau or institution consisting of a person or group of persons, which carries on the activity of helping the unmarried person including divorcees, widows and widowers, desirous of getting married, registered with the bureau, in finding a suitable match for them by arranging to bring such person together etc., and which is registered under section 5 ;
(d) “memorandum” means a memorandum for registration of marriage mentioned in section 6 ;
(e) “parties” means the husband and wife whose marriage has been solemnized;
(f) “ prescribed” means prescribed by rules made under this Act;
(g) “register of marriages” means the register of marriages maintained under this Act;
(h) “register of marriage bureaus” means the register of marriage bureaus maintained under this Act;
(i) “Registrar” means a Registrar of marriage bureaus and marriages, appointed under this Act;
(j) “Registrar General” means the Registrar General of Births, Deaths and Marriages, appointed by the State Government for the State of Maharashtra under the Births, Deaths and Marriages Registration Act, 1886.