Change in marriage registration rules: Cong silent, AAP hails move

Gandhinagar: The Gujarat govt's proposal to make marriage registration rules more stringent by introducing a clause mandating intimation to parents was welcomed by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), while the Congress chose to remain silent on the issue.AAP MLA Hemant Ahir, who on Thursday introduced a private member's Bill in this regard, and BJP MLA Lavingji Thakor congratulated the govt in the House when deputy chief minister Harsh Sanghavi presented details of the proposed changes to the marriage registration rules.
"Changes in the rules were the need of the hour. There were several loopholes in the prevailing system, and I had proposed a private member's Bill in this regard. I congratulate the state govt for proposing amendments to the marriage registration rules," Ahir said in response to Sanghavi's announcement in the assembly.Thakor, a strong proponent of amending the marriage registration rules, said, "Innocent girls were lured by anti-social elements who exploited loopholes in the existing system to solemnise and register marriages. The govt has made an announcement that will benefit families across communities."Apart from the influential Patidar community, which has long demanded measures to curb instances of girls being lured into marriage through deception, the govt also received representations from other communities. Over the past three months, as many as 30 meetings were held between the govt and representatives of various social organisations to finalise the proposed changes to marriage registration procedures and rules.