Only 97 Marriages Registered So Far This Year
Trend of registering marriage yet to catch on
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, September 12 2012: Even though traffic jams caused by entourages of marriage parties in the city areas are a common sight, particularly in the marriage seasons, the number of officially registered wedlock remains very low in the State.

According to records maintained at the Lamphelpat office of Marriage Sub Registrar from January this year till date, 97 couples have confirmed holy matrimonial.

The figure is said to include 57 elderly couples, who had to officially register their marriages in connection with travel abroad.

Compared to this year's figure maintained in the Office, 126 couples reportedly registered last year out of which 98 were elderly couples and 14 elopement cases.

Speaking to The Sangai Express Sub Registrar L Kirankumar informed that under the Hindu Marriage Act 1955 presence of both the husband and wife at the office is mandatory for registration of the wedlock.

An RKCS sketch of traditional Meitei marriage

Under the Act age of the groom should be 21 years or above while it is not less than 18 in case of the bride.

It is said the first office for registering marriages was set up at Keishampat area during the British period before the same was shifted to its present location at Lamphelpat.

While marriages are solemnised with the consent of parents/elders of both the bride and the bridegroom, the Marriage Sub Registrar office also solicits couples who wish to formally declare themselves as partners for life even though their matrimony do not have the blessing of the parents, Kirankumar who cited certain section of the society abhorring couples that elope or are from different castes/faith as the main factor leading to such a marriage.

As per official procedures for couple who apply for registering wedlock after elopement, a month's notice is mandatory to all concerned to register their opposition, if any.

Describing such a practice as 'intended marriage', the sub registrar informed that Christian couples comprise maximum number of such cases with the majority Meitei coming next.

There are no record of such case regarding the Muslim community, he added.

Apart from young people, the Office also had records of elderly couples registering their marriages under 'Celebrated in Other Form' class, with the Sub Registrar putting the figure at 59 from January till date of the current year.

In most of the cases, elderly couples officially retaking the 'till death do us apart' vow concerns necessity for conforming to norms in applying for passports.

Highlighting that registering marriages is not only a formality, Kirankumar stated that in the absence of official matrimony either the husband or the wife stands to lose in case there is dispute over property after separation/divorce.