The Hindu Religious & Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) department has done away with the need to submit first-wedding certificate from Revenue department for marriages conducted in temples. Instead, it has said that those intending to get married in temples under its purview can apply and obtain certificates claiming that they are unmarried at e-Seva centres.
“In the earlier system, couples had to apply for certificates that would prove that this was their first wedding with the village administrative officer or the local tahsildar office, who would then send personnel to check at the addresses of the applications. In order to make the process of submitting the applications more easier, the e-seva centres are being brought into the loop. In this case too verification would happen,” explained an official source.
Minister for HR&CE P.K. Sekarbabu said that only couples, who were Hindus and Indian nationals were allowed to marry in temples. “They have to submit address proof, ID proof, Aadhar card, the first-wedding certificate, which is being replaced by the ‘unmarried’ status certificate. If divorced or the first spouse is dead, documents pertaining to these too have to be submitted,” he explained.
