The Uttar Pradesh government has implemented sweeping reforms to marriage registration procedures following directives from the Allahabad High Court. The new regulations, designed to combat fraudulent unions, introduce mandatory video recording of wedding ceremonies and require officiating priests to submit detailed affidavits confirming the marriage's validity.
Under the revised system, the Stamp and Registration Department's Additional Inspector General (AIG) will oversee all marriage registrations across the state. Deputy Registrars must now verify priest-submitted affidaths containing personal details, Aadhaar copies, and contact information before processing any marriage certificate. For eloping couples, a particular focus of the reforms, video documentation of the wedding ceremony becomes compulsory.
These measures address growing concerns about sham marriages used to obtain legal protections through forged documents. The Allahabad High Court had previously flagged rampant misuse of age certificates and involvement of marriage brokers in facilitating fraudulent unions.
Monthly compliance reports will track implementation, with Assistant Inspector Generals monitoring whether Deputy Registrars properly verify priest attendance and affidavit details. Certificates must now bear specific notation referencing the High Court's October 2024 notification that prompted these changes.
While officials claim the rules will preserve marital sanctity and reduce litigation, some legal experts question the logistical challenges of statewide video documentation. The reforms mark Uttar Pradesh's most significant overhaul of marriage registration procedures in decades, particularly affecting the approximately 12,000 elopement cases registered annually across the state.
