Patiala: The Sikh Marriage Bill, 2015, has been accepted and will be placed on the floor of the House on February 26. Patiala MP Dr Dharamvir Gandhi, who had moved the bill in the Parliament said his efforts have been intensified to ensure that the Bill is supported by all MPs when it comes up for discussion and voting.
He went to the national Capital to sign a copy of the Bill to be sent for printing by the legislative branch of the Lok Sabha and also specify the financial implications of the Bill. The Sikh Marriage Act covers different aspects of the the Sikh marriage; right from the definition of a Sikh, registration of marriage, divorce, permanent alimony and maintenance and custody of the child, which did not find mention in the Anand Marriage Act passed by the Centre a few years back.
Even though the Centre had passed the Anand Marriage Act to recognise Sikh marriage ceremony 'Anand Karaj' for the purpose of separate registration, the remaining aspects continued to be the same as that defined under the Hindu Marriage Act, following which the Sikhs had been demanding a complete marriage Act. Ever since the draft was presented on December 1, Dr Gandhi was meeting different MPs and head of religious institutions to support the Bill.
