Just 80 people got married in the Vijayawada this year!

Though registration of marriages was made mandatory in 2005 nationally, couples barely exercise this rule due to lack of awareness

Registering marriages has still not caught on amongst the denizens of Vijayawada. The city which hosts around 30,000 marriages every year, registers less than 500 marriages annually.

Though the Andhra Pradesh Compulsory Registration of Marriage Act came into force in 2002 followed by a similar law at the national level in 2005, the legislation is being observed more in breach than in practice due to lack of awareness.

According to officials in the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC), since 2010, only few couples have been making their marriages legal by getting them registered. As per the rules, couples should register their marriage at the local bodies within 60 days of their marriage by paying a minimal amount of Rs 100.

“Last year, only 150 marriages were registered and this year the number has come down to 80 till now. The lack of awareness among people over the benefits of registering their marriages is the main reason for the trend.

Though we are trying to create awareness through advertisements and pamphlets, the public don’t seem to be bothered,” said a VMC official.

Even at the registration offices in the city, the count does not exceed 500 in a year. Among the four sub-registrar offices in Vijayawada, only 200-400 marriages were registered at each office last year.

“This year, the count has come down to 100-300 till now at every sub-registrar’s office. According to the law, a married couple should register their marriage, irrespective of their caste and religion. The government has made it mandatory to tackle various women’s rights infringements,” explained district registrar G Srinivasa Rao.

“The government has made marriage registration compulsory to ensure that women do not fall prey to any troubles in marriage, especially in the absence of proof in the form of a marriage certificate,” he added.

“Only the couples going abroad for employment or business purpose are showing interest in getting their marriage registered. There is a lack of awareness even among the educated people,” he added.

Though the local bodies claim that they are taking steps to create public awareness, a majority of people are still unaware of it.

“Every marriage should be compulsorily registered. According to the law, the couples who fail to get their marriages registered within 60 days, would be liable to pay a fine of Rs 1,000. The officials concerned do not even have any knowledge about the law.

It is high time the government put in place a mechanism to penalise the couples as well as officials if they fail to register marriages,” said M Jayakar, assistant government pleader in Vijayawada.