Rajasthan approves Anand Marriage Act

Yash Goyal
Jaipur, December 5

Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Wednesday announced that his government has approved a proposal to implement the Anand Marriage Registration Act in Rajasthan. 

“For the marriages solemnised in Sikh society, I have approved the proposal for implementation of the Rajasthan Anand Marriage Registration Rules, 2019.” Gehlot said while addressing a special gathering at ‘Kirtan Darbar’ to commemorate the 550 birth anniversary of Guru Nank Dev at his residence here. 

As per the Act, a couple whose marriage has been solemnised in a gurdwara and a certificate has been issued by it would not be required to get the marriage registered elsewhere, including the court under the Registration of Births, Marriages and Death Act, 1969. 

In another decision, the CM said students of Sikh community appearing in any examination can carry “kara, kirpan and wear turban” or any of the religious symbols. The orders have been issued for new announcements, he added. 

A state-level committee to celebrate the 550 Parkash Utsav of Guru Nanak Dev has already been set up to hold various programmes, he said. 

Hailing the decisions, former chairman of Rajasthan Minority Commission Jasbeer Singh, who was present at Kirtan Darbar, told The Tribune the Anand Marriage Act was the need of the hour in Rajasthan as other states —Punjab, Haryana and Delhi — have already implemented it.

On CM’s disclosure to set up a Guru Nanak Dev Chair in the University of Rajasthan, Jaipur, Jasbeer said he has suggested that this chair be set up at Jodhpur’s Jai Narayan Vyas University, as another chair after the name of Guru Gobind Singh is functional with the financial aid of the Centre at the University of Rajasthan for four years.