Couples can register marriage over video conferencing, says Delhi high court

Justice Rekha Palli said the mandatory personal presence before the authority for registration of marriage will include appearance through video conferencing, allowing a petition by a US-based couple who approached the court to register their marriage virtually.

The Delhi high court on Thursday said that couples can register their marriage by appearing before the authority concerned through video conferencing.

The couple, in their plea, said their marriage was solemnised through Hindu rites and rituals before the registration of marriage was made compulsory in 2014. (File photo)

Justice Rekha Palli said the mandatory personal presence before the authority for registration of marriage will include appearance through video conferencing, allowing a petition by a US-based couple who approached the court to register their marriage virtually.

The couple, in their plea, said their marriage was solemnised through Hindu rites and rituals before the registration of marriage was made compulsory in 2014. They said since they relocated abroad, they were unable to get their marriage registered under the Delhi (Compulsory Registration of Marriage) Order, 2014.

The couple said that since their application for green card was not being processed in the United States of America for want of a marriage certificate, they approached the local authority for issuance of a marriage certificate, who maintained that physical presence of the parties was a mandatory requirement.

The counsel for the couple argued that several high courts have passed orders allowing virtual appearance of parties for registration of marriages.

The Delhi government’s counsel argued that the physical presence of a couple seeking registration of marriage was mandatory and the process could not be undertaken through video conferencing as it required taking a “live photo”.

It was also submitted that physical appearance helped prevent false registrations and unwanted litigation.