<p>A Mysuru-based minority community leader has thanked Revenue Minister <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tag/r-ashoka" target="_blank">R Ashoka </a>for effecting changes in the procedure for the registration of marriage of married Muslim couples.</p>.<p>K C Showkath Pasha, secretary of Mysuru Bidi Mazdur Association, said he had made an appeal to the Revenue Minister through MLA Tanveer Sait pointing out the problems in the registration of married couples under the Special Marriage Act of 1954 in September 2022.</p>.<p>He said the changes effected now will help many married couples of the minority community to register with the Wakf Board as registration is mandatory for availing passports, visas, and other services.</p>.<p>Pasha, who is also an ex-corporator and former leader of the opposition in Mysuru City Corporation, pointed out that registration under the Special Marriage Act was difficult. </p>.<p>“As per a High Court’s order (June 10, 2011), the Wakf Board cannot issue a marriage certificate. The procedure was changed to apply at the office of the Sub-Registrar under the Special Marriage Act. Under this Act, if the marriage was to be solemnised, one month’s notice was a must from the date of application and both the person and the spouse should be in station”.</p>.<p><strong>Old system</strong></p>.<p>“Prior to the Special Marriage Act provision, the procedure to obtain a marriage certificate was to submit the Nikahnama with a letter from the mosque where the Nikah was performed with an affidavit to the office of the Wakf Board. After verification of the document, the Wakf Board used to send it to the office of the Regional Commissioner. After verification, the office of the Regional Commissioner would issue the marriage certificate within seven days,” he pointed out.</p>.<p>“The Sub-Registrar was applying the same condition for both new marriage and Muslim married couples under the Special Marriage Act and was insisting that they must wait for one month and then come for the marriage certificate. Many Muslim couples receive visas with directions to start immediately when they apply for higher studies or employment. They were not able to move because of the condition of one month although they were married a year back or more,” Pasha said.</p>.<p><strong>Problems</strong></p>.<p>He said: “I appealed to the minister that the Special Marriage Act procedures should be applicable to only couples who are yet to marry. This procedure should be relaxed for couples who are already married and the marriage certificate should be issued immediately. Otherwise, many Muslim families applying for marriage certificates will suffer”.</p>.<p>Pasha said the Revenue Minister conducted several meetings with the officials concerned and members of the Karnataka State Board of Auqaf and passed an order on February 21. "Now, the government has authorised the Karnataka State Board of Auqaf and its Wakf officers of the respective districts to issue the marriage certificate to married Muslim applicants by fulfilling the required conditions,” he added.</p>.<p><strong>Resumption</strong></p>.<p>“According to the new procedure, the person and the spouse should file a joint affidavit indicating their marriage details. The applicant should furnish a letter from the management of the mosque concerned, where the Nikah was performed. The Wakf officer will verify the Nikahnama and the original marriage register and will also obtain the joint photograph of the person and the spouse. Thus, Muslim married couples can obtain the marriage certificate from the respective district Wakf Board office. Now, they need not register under the Special Marriage Act and need not wait for a month to obtain the certificate,” Pasha added.</p>.<p>"However, no marriage certificate will be issued by the Wakf Board for telephonic Nikah or web Nikah. For NRIs or foreign citizens, clearance from the jurisdiction police authority should be obtained,” he said.</p>
<p>A Mysuru-based minority community leader has thanked Revenue Minister <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tag/r-ashoka" target="_blank">R Ashoka </a>for effecting changes in the procedure for the registration of marriage of married Muslim couples.</p>.<p>K C Showkath Pasha, secretary of Mysuru Bidi Mazdur Association, said he had made an appeal to the Revenue Minister through MLA Tanveer Sait pointing out the problems in the registration of married couples under the Special Marriage Act of 1954 in September 2022.</p>.<p>He said the changes effected now will help many married couples of the minority community to register with the Wakf Board as registration is mandatory for availing passports, visas, and other services.</p>.<p>Pasha, who is also an ex-corporator and former leader of the opposition in Mysuru City Corporation, pointed out that registration under the Special Marriage Act was difficult. </p>.<p>“As per a High Court’s order (June 10, 2011), the Wakf Board cannot issue a marriage certificate. The procedure was changed to apply at the office of the Sub-Registrar under the Special Marriage Act. Under this Act, if the marriage was to be solemnised, one month’s notice was a must from the date of application and both the person and the spouse should be in station”.</p>.<p><strong>Old system</strong></p>.<p>“Prior to the Special Marriage Act provision, the procedure to obtain a marriage certificate was to submit the Nikahnama with a letter from the mosque where the Nikah was performed with an affidavit to the office of the Wakf Board. After verification of the document, the Wakf Board used to send it to the office of the Regional Commissioner. After verification, the office of the Regional Commissioner would issue the marriage certificate within seven days,” he pointed out.</p>.<p>“The Sub-Registrar was applying the same condition for both new marriage and Muslim married couples under the Special Marriage Act and was insisting that they must wait for one month and then come for the marriage certificate. Many Muslim couples receive visas with directions to start immediately when they apply for higher studies or employment. They were not able to move because of the condition of one month although they were married a year back or more,” Pasha said.</p>.<p><strong>Problems</strong></p>.<p>He said: “I appealed to the minister that the Special Marriage Act procedures should be applicable to only couples who are yet to marry. This procedure should be relaxed for couples who are already married and the marriage certificate should be issued immediately. Otherwise, many Muslim families applying for marriage certificates will suffer”.</p>.<p>Pasha said the Revenue Minister conducted several meetings with the officials concerned and members of the Karnataka State Board of Auqaf and passed an order on February 21. "Now, the government has authorised the Karnataka State Board of Auqaf and its Wakf officers of the respective districts to issue the marriage certificate to married Muslim applicants by fulfilling the required conditions,” he added.</p>.<p><strong>Resumption</strong></p>.<p>“According to the new procedure, the person and the spouse should file a joint affidavit indicating their marriage details. The applicant should furnish a letter from the management of the mosque concerned, where the Nikah was performed. The Wakf officer will verify the Nikahnama and the original marriage register and will also obtain the joint photograph of the person and the spouse. Thus, Muslim married couples can obtain the marriage certificate from the respective district Wakf Board office. Now, they need not register under the Special Marriage Act and need not wait for a month to obtain the certificate,” Pasha added.</p>.<p>"However, no marriage certificate will be issued by the Wakf Board for telephonic Nikah or web Nikah. For NRIs or foreign citizens, clearance from the jurisdiction police authority should be obtained,” he said.</p>
