In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires:-
(a) Act means the Meghalaya Compulsory Registration of Marriage Act, 2012;
"(b) marriage includes all marriages contracted by persons belonging to any caste, tribe or religion, and the marriages contracted in accordance with customary, practices or traditions and also includes re-marriages and marriages contracted under any existing law.
" (bb)Marriage Officer or License Holder means such officer or license holder notified or authorized under the Indian Christian Marriage Act, 1872(Central Act No.15 of 1872), the Special Marriage Act, 1954 (Central Act No.43 of 1954), the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955(Central Act 25 of 1955) the Meghalaya Moslem Marriages and Divorces Registration Act (Assam Act IX of 1935) (as adopted by the State of Meghalaya) or any other Act for the time being in force in the State.
(c) memorandum means a memorandum of marriage mentioned in Section 5 of this Act;
(cc) "personal laws" means the Indian Christian Marriage Act, 1872 (Central Act No.15 of 1872), the Hindu Marriage Act 1955 (Central Act No.25 of 1955), the Moslem Marriages and Divorces Registration Act (as adapted from Assam Act No. IX of 1935), the Anand Marriage Act, 1909 (Central Act No.7 of 1909), the Parsi Marriage and Divorce Act, 1936 and such personal laws in force by law"
(d) "prescribed" means a prescribed by rules made under this Act;
(e) "register" means a register of marriages maintained under this Act;
(f) "Registrar" means a Registrar of marriages appointed under section 4 of the Act;
(g)"Registrar General of Marriages" means the Secretary to the Government of Meghalaya in the Excise, Registration, Taxation and Stamps Department, ex-officio."
(h) "State Government" means the Government of the State of Meghalaya; and ;.
(i) 4"to contract a marriage" means to solemnize or enter into a marriage in any form or manner, in accordance with any religion, custom, practices or traditions in force and includes marriages solemnized by a Marriage Officer or an authorized License holder under any existing law.