Rules of Court Marriage

Indian court marriages are performed under the Special Marriage Act, 1954 and the marriage is held true between two Indians or a foreigner without any discrimination with regard to their religion and caste. These marriages are becoming popular with educated Indians who do not want to waste money on lavish celebrations. Couples who have fallen in love and are not allowed to get married by their parents, also prefer court marriages. The customs involved in court marriages in India are not religious in nature; rather they are more of a legal affair. As the couple registers the marriage with the government records, it is without any celebrations. Anyhow, one can celebrate after the court proceedings are fulfilled. The first and the most important thing in the court marriage is that the age of the bride and the groom has to be verified by the authorities. The bride has to be 18 years old and the groom 21 years old. The couple has to approach the Sub-Divisional Magistrate of their region and carry documents like birth certificate, matriculation certificate or any other document that mentions the date of birth. Individual affidavits by the couple, proper application form and other requirements described in the Marriage Act of 1954 make the marriage legal after 30 days. Court marriages are fast catching up with the times, thanks to constitutional and legal support it enjoys. The couples who don't b want to spend a fortune for their weddings can opt for this type of marriage. Court marriages are most secular form of marriage, as these are mediated by jurist and there is absence of rituals and traditions. Indian legal system has a list of safeguards to make these marriages more feasible. It’s quite absurd to stick to old fashioned traditions where parents solely do the selection of life partner for their children and they have to follow each and every instructions. Girls did not enjoy any freedom and were forced to marry the one, her parents chose for her. Despite of the fact, in past we have popular love stories in India. With time more flexibility has been given to girls and now they are treated equal to boys. The society is more open minded and now showing tremendous change. More talking between the opposite sex opening the new era of marriage where percentage of love marriages in the country is rapidly increasing. The court marriages in India are different from the traditional Indian weddings. Couples go through a legal procedure to file documents and get their marriage certificate. The marriage becomes legalized after a 30-day notice. Celebrations and other things are decided by the couple after the marriage.