Meghalaya Compulsory Registration of Marriages Act, 2012
No: 13 Dated: Sep, 14 2012
THE MEGHALAYA COMPULSORY REGISTRATION OF MARRIAGE ACT, 2012
ACT NO. 13 OF 2012
AN ACT to provide for compulsory registration of marriage in the State of Meghalaya and for matters connected therewith;
Whereas, it is expedient to provide for compulsory registration of marriages in the State of Meghalaya;
Whereas further it is mandatory for married man and married women to compulsorily furnish a marriage certificate for all official purposes;
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Meghalaya in the Sixty-third Year of the Republic of India as follows :
1. Short title, extent and commencement:- (1) This Act may be called the Meghalaya Compulsory Registration of Marriages Act, 2012.
(2) It extends to the whole of Meghalaya.
(3) 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 the context otherwise requires:-
(a) “Act” means the Meghalaya Compulsory Registration of Marriage Act, 2012;
(b) “marriage” includes all marriages contracted by persons belonging to any caste, tribe or religion, and the marriages contracted as per any customs, practices or traditions, and also includes re-marriages and live in relationship.
(c) “memorandum” means a memorandum of marriage mentioned in Section 5 of this Act;
(d) “prescribed” means a prescribed by rules made under this Act;
(e) “register” means a register of marriages maintained under this Act;
(f) “Register” means a Register of marriages appointed under this Act;
(g) “Register General of Marriages” means the Secretary to the Government of Meghalaya in the Excise, Registration, Taxation and Stamps Department, ex-officio;
(h) “State Government” means the Government of the State of Meghalaya; and
(i) “to contract a marriage” means to solemnize or enter into a marriage in any form or manner, in accordance with any religious, custom, practices or traditions in force.
3. Every Marriage in the State to be registered:- After the date on which the provisions of this Act have been brought into force under sub-section (3) of Section 1, every marriage contracted in the State shall be compulsorily registered in the manner provided in Section 5 and such marriage certificate shall be required for all official purposes.
4. Appointment of Registrars of Marriages:- The State Government may appoint, one or more officer of the Government as it thinks necessary, to be Registrars of Marriages for such local areas as it may specify.