The Rajya Sabha passed a bill to make registration of marriages, irrespective of religion, mandatory under the Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 1969, which currently only regulates registration of births and deaths. The amendment to the bill seeks to amend the Act to include the registration of marriages within its purview.
The Registration of Births and Deaths (Amendment) Bill, 2012, which was passed by voice vote, defines marriage to include marriage solemnized between a male and female belonging to any caste or religion. It also includes re-marriage.
Marriages already registered under the Anand Marriage Act, state laws or any other existing law are not required to be registered under the Bill.
