- Anand Marriage Amendment Bill, 2012 passed Lok Sabha
- Bill was passed by Rajya Sahiba Yesterday
- Sikhs may be able to register their marriages under Anand Marriage Act, 1909
- But Hindu code shall continue to be imposed on Sikhs
New Delhi, India (May 22, 2012): Indian Parliament’s lower house, Lok Sabha, today passed the Anand Marriage Amendment Bill, 2012. The bill was passed by Rajya Sabha yesterday. This bill was aimed at inserting a provision for registration of Sikh marriages under Anand Marriage Act, 1909.
It is notable that after 1947 when current Indian state came into being and Hindu personal law was being codified in 1955-56, Sikhs were wrongfully treated as Hindus and Hindu personal law was imposed on Sikhs.
After today’s amendment Sikhs may be permitted to register their marriage under Anand Marriage Act, 1909, the only legislation related to Sikh personal law. So far as other aspects of personal law are concerned Sikhs shall continue to be governed by Hindu code.
Sikh bodies have termed this amendment as “too late and too little” relief, while insisting to the need for complete code for Sikh personal law.