Gujarat proposes mandatory parental consent for marriage registration, cites 'love jihad' concerns

The government has opened a 30-day window for public suggestions and said a committee will review feedback before finalising the amendments.

• Gujarat suggests mandatory parental consent for marriage registration
• Stricter documentation and 30-day waiting period introduced
• Public suggestions invited before finalising the amendments

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The Gujarat government, on Friday, proposed amendments to the Gujarat Registration of Marriages Act, 2006, seeking to make parental consent compulsory for marriage registration and tighten procedural requirements. The move, it noted, is intended to address alleged loopholes and prevent misuse of the existing system.

Presenting the proposal in the Assembly under Rule 44, Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi termed the issue one of “public importance” and said the government had received multiple representations from individuals and social organisations demanding stricter safeguards.

Alleging that “innocent girls are being trapped” under what he described as “love jihad”, Sanghavi said, “A strong armour needs to be created for young girls.” He maintained that the government was “not against love marriages” but was acting to “protect the dignity of girls and sanatan dharma”.

What the amendments propose

>> Parental consent will be mandatory for marriage registration.

>> Applicants must submit detailed documentation, including Aadhaar numbers, birth or school leaving certificates, identity proofs, wedding photographs, invitation cards and notarised declarations.

>> Similar identity and address documents of parents on both sides will be required.

>> Parents of the bride and groom will be informed within 10 working days of the Assistant Registrar’s verification, through electronic or physical means, including messaging platforms such as WhatsApp.

>> Final registration will occur only after 30 days, subject to the Registrar’s satisfaction that all conditions have been fulfilled.

>> A dedicated online portal will be created to upload application details and issue certificates.

Sanghavi cited alleged irregularities in districts including Panchmahal, Banaskantha, Navsari and Mehsana to justify the changes. Referring to Panchmahal, he claimed that “hundreds of nikaah certificates were issued” despite there being “not a single Muslim or mosque” in certain areas.

“If someone deceives a daughter of the state by hiding his identity, this government will ensure such strict action that he will not dare to look at any daughter with ill-intent in the future,” he later told reporters.

The government has opened a 30-day window for public suggestions and said a committee will review feedback before finalising the amendments.

The proposal was welcomed in the House by AAP MLA Hemant Ahir and BJP MLA Lavingji Thakor, who said stronger norms were needed to plug gaps in the current framework.

In December 2025, former members of the Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti submitted a memorandum to Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel seeking mandatory parental consent for marriage registration. The government said Minister of State for Law and Justice Kaushik Vekariya held around 30 consultations with social organisations over the past three months before drafting the reforms.