Yes — the Hindu Marriage Act says so in terms. But registration is compulsory in Delhi and is what every office asks for. Here is why both statements are true.
Many couples who married at a temple or at home years ago worry that their marriage is not valid because it was never registered. The law is clear on this.
The Hindu Marriage Act, 1955 allows states to make rules for registering Hindu marriages, and it says in terms that the validity of a Hindu marriage is not affected by a failure to register it. A marriage performed with the customary rites and ceremonies of either party — where those include the saptapadi, the marriage is complete when the seventh step is taken — is valid whether or not it is registered.
An older marriage can still be registered. The registrar usually asks for proof of the ceremony — photographs, the invitation card, a temple certificate — identity and address documents, affidavits and witnesses. Our marriage registration page explains the process, and our registration guide for Delhi lists the documents.
News on this page is general information, not legal advice. For your own matter, talk to our team, or find an advocate for court work — the advocate’s fee is engaged and paid by you directly.
The thirty-day residence and notice rules under the Special Marriage Act cannot be waived by any office. Here is what the law requires, and what the faster routes actually are.
We have added ten detailed questions and answers to each of our six marriage pages, covering the questions couples most often ask before they marry in Delhi.
The Right to Information Act lets any citizen ask a public authority for information, usually with a reply due in thirty days. A few drafting habits make the difference between a useful reply and a refusal.
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