Section 15 of SMA : Section 15: Registration Of Marriages Celebrated In Other Forms

Explanation using Example

Imagine a couple, Rahul and Anjali, who had a traditional Hindu wedding ceremony in India in 2010. Since their wedding, they have lived together as husband and wife. In 2023, they decide to give their marriage a legal recognition under the Special Marriage Act for various personal and legal benefits, like easier documentation processing for visas or joint property ownership.

Before they can register their marriage, they must meet certain conditions:

• They have been married in a ceremony and have lived together since then.
• Neither Rahul nor Anjali has another spouse living, ensuring they are in a monogamous relationship.
• Both are of sound mind and not suffering from any mental disorder.
• They are both over twenty-one years of age.
• They are not related to each other in a way that would prohibit marriage under the law.
• They have been living in the jurisdiction of the Marriage Officer where they wish to register their marriage for at least 30 days before making the application.

Meeting these conditions, they apply for registration with the local Marriage Officer, and upon verification, their marriage is registered under the Special Marriage Act, providing them with a civil marriage certificate.