Sikh Council UK congratulates Sikh community of Pakistan on Sikh marriage law
Sikh Council UK - 16 March 2018 - Sikh Council UK welcomes the passing of the Punjab Sikhs Anand Karaj Marriages Act 2017 in Punjab Pakistan. The new law was tabled as a private members bill by Ramesh Singh Arora and received unanimous support in the provincial Punjab Assembly in Pakistan.
The law is the first of its kind in the world and provides for the solemnisation and registration of Sikh marriages in Pakistan Punjab. The new law defines a Sikh marriage – Anand Karaj – as being a lawful union between a Sikh male and Sikh female. It provides a definition of a Sikh in accordance with the Sikh Rehit Maryada.
Sikh Council UK Secretary General Jagtar Singh said “This is a historical achievement for the Pakistan Sikh community and I have passed on our collective congratulations and well wishes to S. Ramesh Singh Arora, the Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee and the Pakistan High Commission in London. It is pleasing to see the law was passed on the same day Sikhs in Pakistan and indeed the world celebrated the 550th Nanakshahi Sikh new-year”.
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Jagjit Singh
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Balvinder Kaur
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According to the bill, every marriage between Sikhs shall be registered under the Act.
For the purpose of the registration of marriages under the Act, the government, in the prescribed manner, shall grant license to one or more persons professing Sikh religion to be called Anand Karaj Registrar, authorizing him to grant Anand Karaj Certificate.
The bridegroom and the bride or a Granthi shall fill the Anand Karaj form and present it, within thirty days of the marriage, to the Anand Karaj Registrar for registration of the marriage and a copy thereof shall be sent to the chairman. Chairman means the chairman of a union council or municipal committee or any officer authorized by the government to perform the functions of the chairman under the act.
A marriage, which is not solemnised by the Anand Karaj Registrar, shall, for the purpose of registration under the Act, be reported within 30 days of the solemnisation of the marriage to him (chairman) by the Granthi or the person who solemnized the marriage.
It further says any party that wishes to dissolve the marriage shall give to the chairman notice in writing of his or her intention to do so and shall supply a copy thereof to the other party.
Within 30 days of the receipt of the notice, the chairman shall constitute an arbitration council in the prescribed manner for the purpose of bringing about reconciliation between them and the council shall take all steps necessary to that effect.
If reconciliation is not effected within 90 days from the date of the notice, the chairman shall, after the lapse of the 90 days, declare the marriage to have been dissolved and issue the certificate of the dissolution of marriage in prescribed manner.