The Jammu and Kashmir administration has meticulously formulated detailed rules for the registration of marriages under the Anand Marriage Act. This Act, which grants statutory recognition to the marriage rituals of Sikhs, addresses a longstanding demand of the Sikh community to not have their marriages solemnized under the Hindu Marriage Act.

The newly introduced regulations, titled ‘Jammu and Kashmir Anand Marriage Registration Rules, 2023,’ outline the procedures for registering “Anand marriages.”

According to a government notification, the designated registrars for these marriages within their respective territorial jurisdictions will be the concerned tehsildars. Sikh couples are eligible to apply for registration within three months of solemnizing their marriage. However, a late fee is applicable if the formalities are completed after the expiration of this deadline, as stated in the notification issued by the Department of Law, Justice, and Parliamentary Affairs on November 30.

Expressing gratitude for the fulfillment of a longstanding demand, Balvinder, Vice President of District Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, Jammu, stated, “This has been a long-pending demand, and we are thankful to the Lt Governor for keeping his promise.” He emphasized that the implementation of the Anand Marriage Act has brought joy to the community, alleviating their identity crisis arising from the absence of a separate Sikh marriage act.

The origins of the Anand Marriage Act trace back to 1909 when the British Imperial Legislative Council enacted legislation recognizing the Sikh wedding ceremony, Anand Karaj. The primary aim of the Act was to acknowledge and respect the customs and practices of the Sikh community.

In 2012, the Parliament passed the Anand Marriage (Amendment) Bill, extending legal recognition to Sikh traditional marriages. While the central government approved the amendments, individual states and Union territories were tasked with framing specific rules for the registration of Anand marriages, thereby ensuring compliance with the legislative changes.