Section 16 of SMA : Section 16: Procedure For Registration
The Special Marriage Act, 1954
Bare Act
- CHAPTER III: REGISTRATION OF MARRIAGES CELEBRATED IN OTHER FORMS
Upon receipt of an application signed by both the parties to the marriage for the registration of their marriage under this Chapter, the Marriage Officer shall give public notice thereof in such manner as may be prescribed and after allowing a period of thirty days for objections and after hearing any objection received within that period, shall, if satisfied that all the conditions mentioned in section 15 are fulfilled, enter a certificate of the marriage in the Marriage Certificate Book in the form specified in the Fifth Schedule, and such certificate shall be signed by the parties to the marriage and by three witnesses.
Simplified Act
When a couple wants to officially register their marriage, they both need to sign an application and submit it to the Marriage Officer. After they've done this, the officer will announce their intention to marry publicly in the way the law requires. Then, there's a waiting period of 30 days where anyone can raise objections to the marriage. If objections are made, the officer will listen to them. If, after this period, the officer is convinced that the couple meets ...
Explanation using Example
Imagine a couple, Riya and Arjun, who come from different religious backgrounds and wish to get married under the Special Marriage Act, 1954. They submit an application to the local Marriage Officer to register their marriage. The Marriage Officer, following Section 16, posts a notice of their intended marriage at the registration office. This notice invites objections, if any, from the public for a period of 30 days. During this period, a neighbor raises an objection based on a mistaken belief that Riya is already married. The Marriage Officer schedules a hearing and invites both the ...