(l) This Act may be called the Punjab Compulsory Registration of Marriages Act, 2012.
(2) It shall come into force on such date, as the State Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, appoint in this behalf.
2. In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires, -
(a) "Chief Registrar of Marriages" means the Chief Registrar of Marriages, appointed as such by the State Government under section 9;
(b) "District Registrar of Marriages" means the District Registrar of Marriages, appointed as such by the State Government for a District under section 10;
(c) “foreign national” means any person who is not a citizen Short title and Commencement.
Definitions.
of India and shall include Persons of Indian Origin (PIO) and Overseas Citizens of India (OCI);
(d) "marriage" means and includes a marriage, solemnized in the State of Punjab under any of the following Acts, customs or laws, namely: -
(i) the Indian Christian Marriage Act, 1872; (15 of 1872);
(ii) the Anand Marriage Act, 1909 (7 of 1909);
(iii) the Muslim Personal Law (Shariat) Application Act, 1937 (26 of 1937);
(iv) the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955 (25 of 1955); or
(v) any other custom or personal law relating to marriages;
(e) "marriage register" means a register of marriages maintained under this Act;
(f) “Municipality” means an institution of self-government constituted under article 243Q of the Constitution of India;
(g) “Non-resident Indian” (NRI) means a person of Indian origin, who is either permanently or temporarily settled outside India for any of the following purposes, -
(i) for or on taking up employment outside India;
or
(ii) for carrying on a business or vocation outside India; or
(iii) for any other purpose, as would indicate his/her intention in such circumstances to stay outside the territorial limits of India for a uncertain or determined period for fulfilling or completing such purpose;
(h) “Panchayat” means an institution (by whatever name called) of self-government for the rural areas constituted under article 243B of the Constitution of India;
(i) "prescribed" means prescribed by rules made under this Act; ,
(j) "Priest" means any person performing religious rites of any religion and who has solemnized the marriage, sought to be registered;
(k) "Registrar of Marriages" means a Registrar of Marriages appointed as such by the State Government under section 11; and
(l) "State Government" means the Government of the State of Punjab.
3. 1 [On or after the commencement of this Act, every marriageexcept the marriage registered under the Anand Marriage Act, 1909,]
(i) between the parties, who are Indian nationals; or
(ii) between the parties, one of whom at least is a citizen of India and other a non-resident Indian or a foreign national, solemnized or performed irrespective of religion, caste, creed or nationality, shall be registered in the manner as provided in section 4:
Provided that in case of any marriage, where one of the parties is non-resident Indian or foreign national, it shall be mandatory for such parties to disclose and mention in writing, his/her passport number, name of country from which it has been issued and its period of validity, besides his/her permanent residential/official address in the country of current overseas abode and his/her valid, present social security number or any such similar other identification proof officially issued by the country of foreign abode, which information shall be entered in the certificate of marriage as also in the marriage register.
1Substituted for words “On or after the commencement of this Act, every marriage” by Punjab Act No.34 of 2016, Section 2 Every Marriage to be registered.