Sikh Marriage Bill to go on LS floor on Feb 26

Gagan K Teja

Tribune News Service

Patiala, February 12

The Sikh Marriage Bill, 2015, moved by Patiala MP Dr Dharamvir Gandhi as a private member’s bill in Parliament has been accepted and will be placed on the floor of the House on February 26.

With this, Dr Gandhi has intensified his efforts to ensure that the Bill is supported by all MPs when it comes up for discussion and voting.

He went to New Delhi recently to sign a copy of the Bill to be sent for printing by the legislative branch of the Lok Sabha and also specify the financial implications of the Bill.

This Bill covers different aspects of the Sikh marriage i.e. right from the definition of a Sikh, registration of marriage, divorce, permanent alimony and maintenance and custody of the child, which did not find mention in the Anand Marriage Act passed by the Centre a few years ago.

Even though the Centre had passed the Anand Marriage Act recognising the Sikh marriage ceremony ‘Anand Karaj’ for the purpose of separate registration, the remaining aspects continued to be the same as that defined under the Hindu Marriage Act, following which the Sikhs had been demanding a complete marriage Act.

Ever since the draft was presented on December 1, Dr Gandhi has been meeting different MPs and head of religious institutions to garner support for the Bill.