Biometric mismatch trips 26 newly married couples, certs put on hold

KOLKATA: Biometric mismatch has paused the legalisation of 26 marriages in the state since biometrics became mandatory for marriage registrations in Bengal from November 15.

Processing of 38,000 registration applications that were filed in the last month-and-a-half threw up 28 cases in which the left thumb impression of couples captured by marriage registrars during filing the applications did not match with those captured during their wedding a month later.

The complaints prompted the state to ask the office of the registrar-general of marriages to probe the cases and resolve them at the earliest. On Monday, four couples reached the registrar-general's central Kolkata office.

"The complaints probed till now did not indicate any systemic fault. In two cases, the marriage registrars had captured the left thump impression wrongly on the wedding day and so it did not match with those filed by the couple while filing their marriage applications. They gave their thumbprints again and it matched. So, these cases were resolved," a senior official said requesting anonymity.

The other two cases were more complex, he added. "In these cases, it clearly appears that the biometrics of the individuals provided during the marriage applications and that captured during the couple's marriage are completely different."

The registrar-general's office will probe the 26 cases of biometric mismatch over the next four days. Two sets of couples with biometric mismatch, who were summoned on Monday, have been advised to file for fresh registration.

"Prima facie, the couple that got married were not the same as the couple who had applied. The law is very clear. If the couple challenges our findings, the two samples of biometrics will be sent for forensics. Based on the report, we will decide whether to issue or cancel the registration application," a senior official said.

He added that the proportion of complaints was too few to throw up a pattern. "But biometric mismatch can only have two explanations. Either there was a technical glitch, or two separate couples gave their thumb impressions during application and on marriage day. Technical glitches can be resolved immediately but if there has been impersonation, they have to register their marriages afresh after the 90-day or 180-day period depending on the marriage act in which they were married," the officer said.