In a first in Gujarat, marriage certificates in the state may soon have the photographs of the bride and groom.
The state government is reportedly keen to bring about this change. An announcement is expected within the next couple of months once the local body elections are over.
The move is reportedly part of a wider push to strengthen the Gujarat Registration of Marriage Rules, 2006. Officials in the know said biometric features could also be added to the certificates down the line to make them harder to forge.
Marriage certificates are essential documents in several government procedures. These include obtaining a passport, property registration, and legal inheritance matters. The update, they added, will be implemented once the current election code of conduct is lifted.
The proposal to include photographs follows the detection of widespread fraud in the issuance of marriage certificates. More than 4,600 fake certificates were found to have been issued in Panchmahal district alone between 2024 and 2026.
Officials also said about cases where Nikah certificates involving members of the minority community were issued in villages that had no families from that community.
The government had in February this year issued amendments to the marriage registration rules. These included a provision for parental intimation to the couple’s families. Citizens and institutions were invited to submit suggestions and objections. The government received 127 responses during this period.
Among the suggestions received were proposals to disinherit children whose parents did not consent to the marriage. Others called for the physical presence of both parents during registration. Some suggested that marriages be registered in the jurisdiction of the bride’s residence.
Not all responses received a thumbs up. Several objections argued that mandatory parental intimation violates the fundamental right to personal liberty and privacy. Some submissions warned that the proposed changes would turn a straightforward registration process into a tool of surveillance. Others said uploading marriage details on a public portal would be a breach of privacy.
Also Read: Ordinance Soon In Gujarat Making Parental Consent Mandatory For Love Marriages https://www.vibesofindia.com/ordinance-soon-in-gujarat-making-parental-consent-mandatory-for-love-marriages/
