In a significant development, the Jammu and Kashmir administration has implemented the ‘Jammu and Kashmir Anand Marriage Registration Rules, 2023,’ allowing Sikh couples to register their marriages under the Anand Marriage Act. The new rules state that Sikh couples should complete the registration within three months of the solemnization, with a late fee applicable for registrations beyond this period.
This move addresses the longstanding demand from the Sikh community to have their marriages recognized independently of the Hindu Marriage Act. The Anand Marriage Act, established in 1909, provided legal recognition to the Sikh wedding ceremony, Anand Karaj, as a gesture of acknowledgement and respect for the customs of the Sikh community.
The spotlight on the Anand Marriage Act intensified in 2012 with the Anand Marriage (Amendment) Bill, which extended legal recognition to Sikh traditional marriages. While the central government approved these amendments, individual states and Union territories were tasked with formulating specific rules for the registration of Anand marriages.
