A valid divorce according to the Pakistani laws

Pakistani marriage is a contractual agreement between two people only in a legal sense. The agreement of marriage is not a spiritual or religious binding in the eyes of the law and court systems. The religious aspect of the marriage does contain spiritual and moral bindings in the church. This means that though the court system sees the marriage as a piece of paper, the church recognizes the marriage. If the marriage is salvageable, it is encouraged by the court to keep the spouses together. If resolution cannot be obtained, then an agreeable dissolution is allowed.

Difficulty of Divorce for Women

Though a woman is able to and entitled to obtain a divorce, she may not know this. In the Muslim culture, divorce is frowned upon, and girls may be brought up not to consider divorce or worry about their dowry. Due to this cultural distinction, a woman may find it extremely difficult to obtain a divorce or information about her rights according to the relevant laws.

Acts that Allow a Divorce for a Woman

If a Muslim woman is seeking a divorce from her husband in Pakistan, there are several ways in which she can attain such recourse.

Under the Dissolution of Muslim Marriages Act Section 2, various allowances provide for a divorce by the wife of a couple. If certain circumstances arise, divorce may be obtained. For example, if the husband has been absent for at least four years, the wife can request a divorce. Another ground for divorce in Pakistan is if the husband has not fulfilled his duty to financially support the household for at least two years.

If the husband marries another woman while married to his wife and his wife does not consent, the wife can request a divorce. Additionally, the man can be imprisoned for this particular act. Other grounds for divorce is if the husband was impotent before marriage and continues to be so, has a venereal disease or has not been physically intimate with his wife for at least three years.

Pakistan law recognizes the right for an adolescent’s father or other guardian to offer her hand in marriage. If she was married while under 15 years of age, the marriage was not consummated and the wife chooses to repudiate the marriage before she reaches 18 years of age, the marriage can be dissolved.

Another ground for a woman to be granted divorce is if the husband is considered to be “unduly severe.” This means that the husband has abused his wife physically, emotionally, or psychologically on a constant basis, he is consorting with other immoral females or is being disreputable, he endeavors to coerce his wife into leading his disreputable type of life, he stops her from recourse against his theft of possessions, he does not allow her freedom of religious exercise, or he does not treat her with equal measure as his other wives.

Dissolution of Marriage by the Husband

If the husband chooses to get a divorce, he must comply with specific requirements. The husband has to provide a written notice to chairman of the court, and a copy must be provided to his wife. If he fails to comply with these requirements, he can be fined or imprisoned. Additionally, the divorce itself will not be recognized until he provides a written notice to the chairman for up to 90 days. The chairman will attempt to mediate a resolution between the husband and wife. If the wife is pregnant at the time that the divorce action is pending, the divorce will be postponed.

Dowry

The wife is entitled to the return of her dowry if the husband initiates a divorce and in most cases if she is the one to initiate the divorce.

Remarriage

A wife may remarry the same man even after divorce. She does not have to marry another first to do so. If a man wants to marry a woman while still married to his wife, he must receive the consent of his current wife. If he marries another woman without his wife’s consent, he can be imprisoned for up to one year and fined.

Due to the complexity of legal issues involved in Pakistani marriages and divorces, individuals considering a divorce may choose to consult with a lawyer familiar with Pakistani law.

Registration of Marriage in India

A marriage in India is required to be registered in most of the cases. The state governments have or are planning to make the registration of marriage compulsory in all the cases. A marriage certificate is also required in most cases for visa purposes.

Moreover, the Indian Special Marriage Act, 1954, which applies to all citizens irrespective of their religion, requires the registration of marriages by a marriage officer.

The Indian Christian Marriage Act, 1872, makes the registration compulsory, as it provides for entry in a marriage register kept in the Church soon after the marriage ceremony along with the signatures of the bride and bridegroom.

The Hindu Marriage Act, 1955, certain provisions exist for the registration of the marriages, but it had been left to the discretion of the families of the bride and bridegroom to either solemnize the marriage before a registrar or register it after the ceremony in traditional way. The non-registration of a marriage does not invalidate it under the Hindu Marriage Act.

The Parsi Marriage and Divorce Act, 1936, makes the registration compulsory.

Marriage in India under the Special Marriage Act

The Indian Special Marriage Act 1954 permits marriages between persons who are not of the same community or who have different religions or nationalities. The scope of the Act includes the entire territory of India and extends to intending spouses who are both Indian nationals living abroad.
The groom must be at least 21 years old, while the bride must be at least 18 years of age. Both parties should have full mental capacity and not be currently married. Parties to the marriage must provide notice of their intention to solemnize the marriage before a marriage officer in the district where at least one of the parties has resided for at least 30 days prior to the notice. Notice of the intended marriage is entered into the Marriages Notice Book, which is open for public inspection with an inspection fee. The public has the right to object to the marriage for the following 30 days. Any objections must be investigated and resolved within an additional 30 days.

Prior to the solemnization of the marriage, the parties and three witnesses must sign a declaration in front of a marriage officer, who will also sign the document. The marriage may be solemnized in any form that the parties wish to adopt as long as the solemnization occurs at the marriage officer's office or any place that the marriage officer sanctions. The marriage must include the exchange of the following statement: "I (name of self) take you (name of partner) to be my lawful (wife or husband)." After the solemnization, the marriage officer will enter the certificate in the Marriage Certificate Book. The parties and the three witnesses must sign the certificate. The entry of the certificate in the book is deemed conclusive evidence of a lawful marriage.

Any marriage in India may be registered under this Act. The parties must jointly apply for the marriage registration. After 30 days of notice to the public, the marriage officer will enter the certificate into the Marriage Certificate Book. The spouses and three witnesses must sign the certificate.

Personal Laws of Marriage and Divorce in India

India is a land of many cultures and religions. Each citizen of India is entitled to have his own personal laws in the matter of marriage and divorce.
There are different rules and regulations for different religions. For example there are Hindu Marriage Act, Muslim Marriage Act, and Christian Marriage Act and for the Parsee there is Parsee Marriage and Divorce Act.
In case of the Hindus, Sikhs, Jains and Buddhists,  they are governed by the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955, which provides for the conditions of a marriage where under the bridegroom should be the age of 21 years and bride of 18 years, they both should not be within the degree of prohibited relationship.
Divorce under the Hindu Marriage Act 1955 can be obtained on the various grounds.
Muslims also have their own personal law, which states that Nikah or marriage is a contract and may be permanent or temporary and permits a man four wives if he treats all of them equally.
Similarly for the Parsees there is a Parsee Marriage & Divorce Act, 1939, which governs the provisions of their marriage and law.
For Indian Christian there is a Indian Christian Marriage Act 1889.

Civil Marriage Ceremonies in India

Parties who do not wish to marry in a religious ceremony can instead opt for a civil ceremony pursuant to the Indian Special Marriage Act of 1954.
In case a marriage between an Indian and a foreign national is to take place in India, generally its required to file a notice of intended marriage with a Marriage Registrar of your choice in India. That notice is required to be published for the stipulated 30 days. At the end of the 30 days the Marriage Registrar is free to perform the marriage.
The notice of intended marriage can only be given in India, if at least one partner is permanently and the other partner temporarily resident in India.

If one partner is residing in a foreign country then the partner who is resident in India will have to fill out the “Marriage Notice”  collected from the Marriage Registration Office of his/her choice in India and send it to his/her partner in the foreign country who will also have to fill it out. This “Notice” should then be sent back to the partner in India who will have to re-submit it at the Marriage Registration Office. After the stipulated waiting period of 30 days the marriage can take place in India. Under the Special Marriage Act, 1954 a certificate showing the signatures of the persons married, the registrar and the witnesses will be issued. This Certificate is required as proof of the marriage and when applying for a visa to for a foreign country.

The following documents are required for both the partners:

• a valid Passport
• original Birth Certificate showing parents' names
• if the person concerned is widowed, the original death certificate of the deceased spouse
• If divorced, copy of the final decree
• documentary evidence regarding stay in India of the parties for more than 30 days (ration card or report from the concerned SHO)

The American citizen who wishes to participate in a civil marriage ceremony may be required to present to the marriage officer a “no objection letter” from the U.S. Embassy or Consulate, as well as proof of termination of any previous marriages. Similarly, a citizen of another foreign country may be required to present to the marriage officer a “no objection letter” from the Embassy or Consulate of his country, as well as proof of termination of any previous marriages.
In a nutshell, under the Special Marriage Act, the parties generally are required to wait at least 30 days from the date of initial application to formalize the marriage so that the marriage officer can publish a newspaper ad allowing for the opportunity for any objections to the marriage to be voiced.

Religious Marriage Ceremonies in India

 An NRI, a PIO or a Foreigner (American, Canadians, British, and others) who wants to marry in India has a choice of  Religious Marriage Ceremony.

The Hindu Marriage Act of 1955 is applicable to Hindus, Jains, Sikhs and Buddhists. A religious marriage which has already been solemnized can be registered under the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955. The Hindu Marriage Act is applicable in cases where both husband and wife are Hindus, Buddhists, Jains or Sikhs or where they have converted into any of these religions. The Hindu Marriage Act provides for the conditions of a marriage where under the bridegroom should be the age of 21 years and bride of 18 years, they both should not be within the degree of prohibited relationship.

The documents required for registering a marriage under the Hindu Marriage Act are as follows:

• Application form duly signed by both husband and wife
• Documentary evidence of date of birth of parties (Matriculation Certificate / Passport / Birth Certificate) Minimum age of both parties is 21 years at the time of registration under the Special Marriage Act
• Ration card of husband or wife whose area SDM has been approached for the certificate
  Affidavit by both the parties stating place and date of marriage, date of birth, marital status at the time of marriage and nationality
• Two passport size photographs of both the parties and one marriage photograph
  Marriage invitation card, if available
• If marriage was solemnized in a religious place, a certificate from the priest is required who solemnized the marriage
• Affirmation that the parties are not related to each other within the prohibited degree of relationship as per Hindu Marriage Act or Special Marriage Act as the case may be
  Attested copy of divorce decree/order in case of a divorcee and death certificate of spouse in case of widow/widower
• In case one of the parties belong to other than Hindu, Buddhist, Jain and Sikh religions, a conversion certificate from the priest who solemnized the marriage
• All documents excluding receipt should be attested by a Gazetted Officer

Verification of all the documents is carried out on the date of application and a day is fixed and communicated to the parties for registration. On the said day, both parties, along with a Gazetted Officer who attended their marriage, need to be present before the SDM. The marriage certificate under the Hindu Marriage Act is issued on the same day or within a few days.

Marriage under the Hindu law is "sacrament" and "not a contract"

Marriage under the Hindu law is "sacrament" and "not a contract" which can be entered into by executing a deed, Delhi High Court has observed while dismissing a plea by a woman who had challenged an order refusing to declare her as the legally-wedded wife.

The woman had approached the court seeking her appointment for job on compassionate ground after the death of her alleged husband, a former sanitation staff in a city government hospital, and a direction to the medical superintendent to release consequential benefits and allow her to join duties.
The high court noted in its judgement that the petitioner had contended that she had married the man by way of execution of a marriage deed in June 1990 without disputing the fact that he was living with his earlier wife, who had died in May 1994.

"Since inception, the contention of the appellant (woman) had been that her marriage with the man on June 2, 1990 was performed by way of execution of a marriage deed and an affidavit. It is not disputed by her that the man had a living spouse on June 2, 1990 and she expired on May 11, 1994.

"Under Hindu Law, marriage is a 'sacrament' (solemn pledge) and not a contract which can be entered into by execution of a marriage deed. On June 2, 1990 the man was having a living spouse," Justice Pratibha Rani said.

The high court said the lower court had rightly held that the woman cannot claim the status of a legally wedded wife of the man on the strength of the alleged marriage and its order cannot be termed illegal.

The woman had claimed she was the man's widow and after his death, she had applied for appointment on compassionate ground after which she was offered appointment as 'safai karamchari' on temporary basis in the hospital.

Later, a show cause notice was served on her asking her to explain the legality and validity of her marriage with the man. She had replied that on the date of death of her husband in February 1997, she was his only wife.

The woman's plea before the trial court was contested by the Delhi government and medial superintendent of the hospital who said that she had misrepresented about being the legally wedded wife of the man.

The court, in its verdict, noted that the trial court in its judgement had referred to the earlier order passed by the high court in which it was held that issuance of succession certificate in favour of the petitioner without impleading the legal heirs of the man was of hardly any value.

"It is settled legal position that in second appeal, high court cannot set aside concurrent finding of fact given by the courts below. The second appeal can be entertained only if a substantial question of law is raised. The rationale behind is that appreciation and reappreciation of an evidence must come to an end with the first appeal," the court noted. "It has been consistent view that high court has no jurisdiction to entertain second appeal merely on the plea that another view is possible on appreciation of relevant evidence available on record," it said.

Hindu Marriage Act: Ceremonies and Customs

Section 5 of The Hindu Marriage Act 1955 specifies that conditions must be met for a marriage to be able to take place. If a ceremony takes place, but the conditions are not met, the marriage is either void by default, or voidable.

Void marriages

A marriage may be declared void if it contravenes any of the following:

1. Either party is under age.The bridegroom should be of 21 years of age and the bride of 18 years.
2. Either party is not of a Hindu religion.Both the bridegroom and the bride should be of the Hindu religion at the time of marriage.
3. Either party is already married. The Act expressively prohibits polygamy. A marriage can only be solemnized if neither party has a living spouse at the time of marriage.
4. The parties are sapindas or within the degree of prohibited relationship.

Voidable marriages

A marriage may later be voidable (annulled) if it contravenes any of the following:

1. Either party is impotent, unable to consummate the marriage, or otherwise unfit for the procreation of children.
2. One party did not willingly consent. In order to consent, both parties must be sound of mind and capable of understanding the implications of marriage. If either party suffers from a mental disorder or recurrent attacks of insanity or epilepsy, then that may indicate that consent was not (or could not be) given. Likewise, if consent was forced or obtained fraudulently, then the marriage may be voidable.
3. The bride was pregnant by another man other then the bridegroom at the time of the marriage.

Section 7 of the Hindu Marriage Act 1955 recognises that there may be different, but equally valid ceremonies and customs of marriage. As such, Hindu marriage may be solemnized in accordance with the customary rites and ceremonies of either the bride or the groom. These rites and ceremonies include the Saptapadi and Kreva.

Registering a marriage

A marriage cannot be registered unless the following conditions are fulfilled:

1. a ceremony of marriage has been performed; and
2. the parties have been living together as husband and wife

Additionally,the parties must have been residing within the district of the Marriage Officer for a period of not less than thirty days immediately preceding the date on which the application is made to him for registration.

Section 8 of the Hindu Marriage Act allowsastate government to make rules for the registration of Hindu marriages particular to that state, particularly with respect to recording the particulars of marriage as may be prescribed in the Hindu Marriage Register.

Registration provides written evidenceof marriage. As such, the Hindu Marriage Register should be open for inspection at all reasonable times (allowing anyone to obtain proof of marriage) and should be admissible as evidence in a court of law.

Divorce procedure of Hindu Marriage

 Hindu Marriage Act does permit either party to divorce on the grounds of unhappiness, or if he or she can prove that the marriage is no longer tenable according to Hindu Marriage Act 1955.

A petition for divorce usually can only be filed one year after registration. However, in certain cases of suffering by the petitioner or mental instability of the respondent, a court may allow a petition to be presented beforeone year.

Grounds for divorce

A marriage may be dissolved by a court order on the following grounds:

1. Adultery - the respondent has had voluntary sexual intercourse with a man or a woman other than the spouse after the marriage.
2. Cruelty - the respondent has physically or mentally abused the petitioner.
3. Desertion - the respondent has deserted the petitioner for a continuous period of not less than two years.
4. Conversion to another religion - the respondent has ceased to be a Hindu and has taken another religion.
5. Unsound mind - the respondent has been diagnosed since the marriage ceremony as being unsound of mind to such an extent that normal married life is not possible.
6. Disease - the respondent been diagnosed with an incurable form of leprosy or has venereal disease in acommunicable form.
7. Presumption of death - the respondent has not been seen alive for seven years or more.
8. No resumption of cohabitation after a decree of judicial separation for a period of at least one year.

In addition, a wife may also seek a divorce on the grounds that:

1. In case of marriagesthat took place before the Hindu Marriage Act 1955 was enacted, the husband was already married and that any other wife of thehusband was alive at the time of the marriage ceremony.
2. The husband, after marriage, has been found guilty of rape, sodomy or bestiality.
3. Co-habitation has not been resumed within a yearafter an order for maintenance under Section 125 of the Criminal Procedure Code or alternatively, under the Hindu Adoptions & Maintenance Act 1956.
4. The wife was under-age when she married and she repudiates the marriage before attaining the age of 18 years.

Alimonies (permanent maintenance)

At the time of the decree of divorce or at any subsequent time, the court may decide that one party should pay to the other an amount for maintenance and support. This could be a one off payment, or a periodical (such as monthly) payment. The amount to be paid is at the discretion of the court.

Remarriage

Remarriage is possible once a marriage has been dissolved by a decree of divorce and no longer able to be appealed (whether there was no right of appeal in the first place, or whether the time for appealing has expired, or whether an appeal has been presented but dismissed).

CHRISTIAN MARRIAGE ACT, 1872 (Bangladesh)

An Act to consolidate and amend the law relating to the solemnization of the marriages of Christians.

Preamble	WHEREAS it is expedient to consolidate and amend the law relating to the solemnization of the marriages of persons professing the Christian religion; It is hereby enacted as follows:-

			PRELIMINARY
	Short title Extent		1. This Act may be called the Christian Marriage Act, 1872. It extends to the whole of Bangladesh and, so far only as regards Christian citizens of Bangladesh, 3[ * * *].
	[Repealed]		2. [Repealed by the Repealing Act, 1938 (Act No. I of 1938), section 2 and Schedule.]
	Interpretation-clause		3. In this Act, unless there is something repugnant in the subject or context,- "Church of England" and "Anglican" mean and apply to the Church of England as by law established; "Church of Scotland" means the Church of Scotland as by law established; "Church of Rome" and "Roman Catholic" mean and apply to the Church which regards the Pope of Rome as its spiritual head; "Church" includes any chapel or other building generally used for public Christian worship; "minor" means a person who has not completed the age of twenty-one years and who is not a widower or a widow; the expression "Christians" means persons professing the Christian religion; and the expression "Native Christians" includes the Christian descendants of 4[ inhabitants of Indo-Bangla Pakistan] sub-continent converted to Christianity, as well as such converts; "Registrar General of Births, Deaths and Marriages" means a Registrar General of Births, Deaths and Marriages appointed under the Births, Deaths and Marriages Registration Act, 1886.
			PART I THE PERSONS BY WHOM MARRIAGES MAY BE SOLEMNIZED
	Marriages to be solemnized according to Act		4. Every marriage between persons, one or both of whom is or are a Christian or Christians, shall be solemnized in accordance with the provisions of the next following section; and any such marriage solemnized otherwise than in accordance with such provisions shall be void.
	Persons by whom marriages may be solemnized		5. Marriages may be solemnized in Bangladesh- (1) by any person who has received episcopal ordination, provided that the marriage be solemnized according to the rules, rites, ceremonies and customs of the Church of which he is a Minister; (2) by any clergyman of the Church of Scotland, provided that such marriage be solemnized according to the rules, rites, ceremonies and customs of the Church of Scotland; (3) by any Minister of Religion licensed under this Act to solemnized marriages; (4) by, or in the presence of, a Marriage Registrar appointed under this Act; (5) by any person licensed under this Act to grant certificates of marriage between Native Christians.
	Grant and revocation of licenses to solemnize marriage		6. The Government, 5[ * * *] may, by notification in the official Gazette, grant licenses to Ministers of Religion to solemnize marriages within such territories and State, respectively, and may, by a like notification, revoke such licenses.
	Marriage Registrars		7. The Government may appoint one or more Christians, either by name or as holding any office for the time being, to be the Marriage Registrar or Marriage Registrars for any district subject to its administration.
	Senior Marriage Registrar		Where there are more marriage Registrars than one in any district, the Government shall appoint one of them to be the senior marriage Registrar.
	Magistrate when to be Marriage Registrar		When there is only one Marriage Registrar in a district, and such Registrar is absent from such district, or ill, or when his office is temporarily vacant, the Magistrate of the district shall act as, and be, Marriage Registrar thereof during such absence, illness or temporary vacancy.
	[Omitted]		8. [Omitted by section 3 and 2nd Schedule of the Bangladesh Laws (Revision And Declaration) Act, 1973 (Act No. VIII of 1973).]
	Licensing of persons to grant certificates of marriage between Native Christians		9. The Government 6[ * * *] may grant a license to any Christian, either by name or as holding any office for the time being, authorizing him to grant certificate of marriage between Native Christians. (4) by, or in the presence of, a Marriage Registrar appointed under this Act; (5) by any person licensed under this Act to grant certificates of marriage between Native Christians.
			PART II TIME AND PLACE AT WHICH MARRIAGES MAY BE SOLEMNIZED
	Time for solemnizing marriage		10. Every marriage under this Act shall be solemnized between the hours of six in the morning and seven in the evening:
	Exceptions		Provided that nothing in this section shall apply to- (1) a Clergyman of the Church of England solemnizing a marriage under a special license permitting him to do so at any hour other than between six in the morning and seven in the evening, under the hand and seal of the Anglican Bishop of the Diocese or his Commissary, or (2) a Clergyman of the Church of Rome solemnizing a marriage between the hours of seven in the evening and six in the morning, when he has received a general or special license in that behalf from the Roman Catholic Bishop of the Diocese or Vicariate in which such marriage is so solemnized, or from such person as the same Bishop has authorized to grant such license, or (3) a Clergyman of the Church of Scotland solemnizing a marriage according to the rules, rites, ceremonies and customs of the Church of Scotland.
	Place for solemnizing marriage		11. No Clergyman of the Church of England shall solemnize a marriage in any place other than a church where worship is generally held according to the forms of the Church of England, unless there is no such church within five miles distance by the shortest road from such place, or unless he has received a special license authorizing him to do so under the hand and seal of the Anglican Bishop of the Diocese or his Commissary.
	Fee for special license		For such special license, the Registrar of the Diocese may charge such additional fee as the said Bishop from time to time authorizes.
			PART III MARRIAGES SOLEMNIZED BY MINISTERS OF RELIGION LICENSED UNDER THIS ACT
	Notice of intended marriage		12. Whenever a marriage is intended to be solemnized by a Minister of Religion licensed to solemnize marriages under this Act- one of the persons intending marriage shall give notice in writing, according to the form contained in the first schedule hereto annexed, or to the like effect, to the Minister of Religion whom he or she desires to solemnize the marriage, and shall state therein- (a) the name and surname, and the profession or condition, of each of the persons intending marriage, (b) the dwelling- place of each of them, (c) the time during which each has dwelt there, and (d) the church or private dwelling in which the marriage is to be solemnized: Provided that, if either of such persons has dwelt in the place mentioned in the notice during more than one month, it may be stated therein that he or she has dwelt there one month and upwards.
	Publication of such notice		13. If the persons intending marriage desire it to be solemnized in a particular church, and if the Minister of Religion to whom such notice has been delivered be entitled to officiate therein, he shall cause the notice to be affixed in some conspicuous part of such church.
	Return or transfer of notice		But if he is not entitled to officiate as a Minister in such church, he shall, at his option, either return the notice to the person who delivered it to him, or deliver it to some other Minister entitled to officiate therein, who shall thereupon cause the notice to be affixed as aforesaid.
	Notice of intended marriage in private dwelling		14. If it be intended that the marriage shall be solemnized in a private dwelling, the Minister of Religion, on receiving the notice prescribed in section 12, shall forward it to the Marriage Registrar of the District, who shall affix the same to some conspicuous place in his own office.
	Sending copy of notice to Marriage Registrar when one party is a minor		15. When one of the persons intending marriage is a minor, every Minister receiving such notice shall, unless within twenty-four hours after its receipt he returns the same under the provisions of section 13, send by the post or otherwise a copy of such notice to the Marriage Registrar of the district, or, if there be more than one Registrar of such district, to the Senior Marriage Registrar.
	Procedure on receipt of notice		16. The Marriage Registrar or Senior Marriage Registrar, as the case may be, on receiving any such notice, shall affix it to some conspicuous place in his own office, and the latter shall further cause a copy of the said notice to be sent to each of the other Marriage Registrars in the same district, who shall likewise publish the same in the manner above directed.
	Issue of certificate of notice given and declaration made		17. Any Minister of Religion consenting or intending to solemnize any such marriage as aforesaid, shall, on being required so to do by or on behalf of the person by whom the notice was given, and upon one of the persons intending marriage making the declaration hereinafter required, issue under his hand a certificate of such notice having been given and of such declaration having been made: Provided– (1) that no such certificate shall be issued until the expiration of four days after the date of the receipt of the notice by such Minister; (2) that no lawful impediment be shown to his satisfaction why such certificate should not issue; and (3) that the issue of such certificate has not been forbidden, in manner hereinafter mentioned, by any person authorized in that behalf.
	Declaration before issue of certificate		18. The certificate mentioned in section 17 shall not be issued until one of the persons intending marriage has appeared personally before the Minister and made a solemn declaration– (a) that he or she believes that there is not any impediment of kindred or affinity or other lawful hindrance to the said marriage, and, when either or both of the parties is or are a minor or minors, (b) that the consent or consents required by law has or have been obtained thereto, or that there is no person resident in Bangladesh having authority to give such consent, as the case may be.
	Consent of father, or guardian, or mother		19. The father, if living, of any minor, or, if the father be dead, the guardian of the person of such minor, and, in case there be no such guardian, then the mother of such minor, may give consent to the minor's marriage, and such consent is hereby required for the same marriage, unless no person authorized to give such consent be resident in Bangladesh.
	Power to prohibit by notice issue of certificate		20. Every person whose consent to a marriage is required under section 19 is hereby authorized to prohibit the issue of the certificate by any Minister, at any time before the issue of the same, by notice in writing to such Minister, subscribed by the person so authorized with his or her name and place of abode and position with respect to either of the persons intending marriage, by reason of which he or she is so authorized as aforesaid.
	Procedure on receipt of notice		21. If any such notice be received by such Minister, he shall not issue his certificate and shall not solemnize the said marriage until he has examined into the matter of the said prohibition, and is satisfied that the person prohibiting the marriage has no lawful authority for such prohibition, or until the said notice withdrawn by the person who gave it.
	Issue of certificate in case of minority		22. When either of the persons intending marriage is a minor, and the Minister is not satisfied that the consent of the person whose consent to such marriage is required by section 19 has been obtained, such Minister shall not issue such certificate until the expiration of fourteen days after the receipt by him of the notice of marriage.
	Issue of certificates to Native Christians		23. When any Native Christian about to be married takes a notice of Marriage to a Minister of Religion, or applies for a certificate from such Minister under section 17, such Minister shall, before issuing the certificate, ascertain whether such Native Christian is cognizant of the purport and effect of the said notice or certificate, as the case may be, and, if not, shall translate or caused to be translated the notice or certificate to such Native Christian into some language which he understands.
	Form of certificate		24. The certificate to be issued by such Minister shall be in the form contained in the second schedule hereto annexed, or to the like effect.
	Solemnization of Marriage		25. After the issue of the certificate by the Minister, marriage may be solemnized between the persons therein described according to such form or ceremony as the Minister thinks fit to adopt: Provided that the marriage be solemnized in the presence of at least two witnesses besides the Minister.
	Certificate void if marriage not solemnized within two months		26. Whenever a marriage is not solemnize within two months after the date of the certificate issued by such Minister as aforesaid, such certificate and all proceedings (if any) thereon shall be void, and no person shall proceed to solemnize the said marriage until new notice has been given and a certificate thereof issued in manner aforesaid.
			PART IV REGISTRATION OF MARRIAGES SOLEMNIZED BY MINISTERS OF RELIGION
	Marriages when to be registered		27. All marriages hereafter solemnized in Bangladesh between persons one or both of whom professes or profess the Christian religion, except marriages solemnized under Part V or Part VI of this Act, shall be registered in manner hereinafter prescribed.
	Registration of marriages solemnized by Clergymen of Church of England		28. Every Clergyman of the Church of England shall keep a register of marriages and shall register therein, according to the tabular form set forth in the third schedule hereto annexed, every marriage which he solemnizes under this Act.
	Quarterly returns to Archdeaconry		29. Every Clergyman of the Church of England shall send four times in every year returns in duplicate, authenticated by his signature, of the entries in the register of marriages solemnized at any place where he has any spiritual charge, to the Registrar of the Archdeaconry to which he is subject, or within the limits of which such place is situate.
	Contents of returns		Such quarterly returns shall contain all the entries of marriages contained in the said register from the first day of January to the thirty-first day of March, from the first day of April to the thirtieth day of June, from the first day of July to the thirtieth day of September, and from the first day of October to the thirty-first day of December, of each year respectively, and shall be sent by such Clergyman within two weeks from the expiration of each of the quarters above specified. The said Registrar upon receiving the said returns shall send one copy thereof to the Registrar General of Births, Deaths and Marriages.
	Registration and returns of marriages solemnized by Clergymen of Church of Rome		30. Every marriage solemnized by a Clergyman of the Church of Rome shall be registered by the person and according to the form directed in that behalf by the Roman Catholic Bishop of the Diocese or Vicariate in which such marriage is solemnized, and such person shall forward quarterly to the Registrar General of Births, Deaths and Marriages returns of the entries of all marriages registered by him during the three months next preceding.
	Registration and returns of marriages solemnized by Clergymen of Church of Scotland		31. Every Clergyman of the Church of Scotland shall keep a register of marriages, and shall register therein, according to the tabular form set forth in the third schedule hereto annexed, every marriage which he solemnizes under this Act, and shall forward quarterly to the Registrar General of Births, Deaths and Marriages, through the Senior Chaplain of the Church of Scotland, returns, similar to those prescribed in section 29, of all such marriages.
	Certain marriages to be registered in duplicate		32. Every marriage solemnized by any person who has received episcopal ordination, but who is not a Clergyman of the Church of England, or of the Church of Rome, or by any Minister of Religion licensed under this Act to solemnize marriages, shall, immediately after the solemnization thereof, be registered in duplicate by the person solemnizing the same; (that is to say) in a marriage-registrar-book to be kept by him for that purpose, according to the form contained in the fourth schedule hereto annexed, and also in a certificate attached to the marriage-register-book as a counterfoil.
	Entries of such marriages to be signed and attested		33. The entry of such marriage in both the certificate and marriage-register-book shall be signed by the person solemnizing the marriage, and also by the persons married, and shall be attested by two credible witnesses, other than the person solemnizing the marriage, present at its solemnization. Every such entry shall be made in order from the beginning to the end of the book, and the number of the certificate shall correspond with that of the entry in the marriage-register-book.
	Certificate to be forwarded to Marriage Registrar, copied and sent to Registrar General		34. The person solemnizing the marriage shall forthwith separate the certificate from the marriage-register-book and send it, within one month from the time of the solemnization, to the Marriage Register of the district in which the marriage was solemnized, or, if there be more Marriage Registrars than one, to the Senior Marriage Registrar, who shall cause such certificate to be copied into a book to be kept by him for that purpose, and shall send all the certificates which he has received during the month, with such number and signature or initials added thereto as are hereinafter required, to the Registrar General of Births, Deaths and Marriages.
	Copies of certificates to be entered and numbered		35. Such copies shall be entered in order from the beginning to the end of the said book, and shall bear both the number of the certificate as copied, and also a number to be entered by the Marriage Registrar, indicating the number of the entry of the said copy in the said book, according to the order in which he receives each certificate.
	Registrar to add number of entry to certificate, and send to Registrar General		36. The Marriage Registrar shall also add such last-mentioned number of the entry of the copy in the book to the certificate, with his signature or initials, and shall, at the end of every month, send the same to the Registrar General of Births, Deaths and Marriages.
	Registration of marriages between Native Christians by persons referred to in clauses (1), (2) and (3) of section 5		37. When any marriage between Native Christians is solemnized by any such person, Clergyman or Minister of Religion as is referred to in clause (1), clause (2) or clause (3) of section 5, the person solemnizing the same shall, instead of proceeding in the manner provided by sections 28 to 36, both inclusive, register the marriage in a separate register-book, and shall keep it safely until it is filled, or, if he leave the district in which he solemnized the marriage before the said book is filled, shall make over the same to the person succeeding to his duties in the said district.
	Custody and disposal of register-book		Whoever has the control of the book at the time when it is filled, shall send it to the Marriage Registrar of the district, or, if there be more Marriage Registrars than one, to the Senior Marriage Registrar, who shall send it to the Registrar General of Births, Deaths and Marriages, to be kept by him with the records of his office.
			PART V MARRIAGES SOLEMNIZED BY, OR IN THE PRESENCE OF, A MARRIAGE REGISTRAR
	Notice of intended marriage before Marriage Registrar		38. When a marriage is intended to be solemnized by, or in the presence of, a Marriage Registrar, one of the parties to such marriage shall give notice in writing, in the form contained in the first schedule hereto annexed, or to the like effect, to any Marriage Registrar of the District within which the parties have dwelt; or, if the parties dwell in different districts, shall give the like notice to a Marriage Registrar of each district, and shall state therein the name and surname, and the profession or condition, of each of the parties intending marriage, the dwelling-place of each of them, the time during which each has dwelt therein, and the place at which the marriage is to be solemnized: Provided that, if either party has dwelt in the place stated in the notice for more than one month, it may be stated therein that he or she has dwelt there one month and upwards.
	Publication of notice		39. Every Marriage Registrar shall, on receiving any such notice, cause a copy thereof to be affixed in some conspicuous place in his office. When one of the parties intending marriage is a minor, every Marriage Registrar shall, within twenty-four hours after the receipt by him of the notice of such marriage, send, by post or otherwise, a copy of such notice to each of the other Marriage Registrars (if any) in the same district, who shall likewise affix the copy in some conspicuous place in his own office.
	Notice to be filed and copy entered in Marriage Notice Book		40. The Marriage Registrar shall file all such notices and keep them with the records of his office, and shall also forthwith enter a true copy of all such notices in a book to be furnished to him for that purpose by the Government and to be called the "Marriage Notice Book"; and the Marriage Notice Book shall be open at all reasonable times, without fee, to all persons desirous of inspecting the same.
	Certificate of notice given and oath made		41. If the party by whom the notice was given requests the Marriage Registrar to issue the certificate next hereinafter mentioned, and if one of the parties intending marriage has made oath as hereinafter required, the Marriage Registrar shall issue under his hand a certificate of such notice having been given and of such oath having been made: Provided– that no lawful impediment be shown to his satisfaction why such certificate should not issue; that the issue of such certificate has not been forbidden, in manner hereinafter mentioned, by any person authorized in that behalf by this Act; that four days after the receipt of the notice have expired; and further, that where, by such oath, it appears that one of the parties intending marriage is a minor, fourteen days after the entry of such notice have expired.
	Oath before issue of certificate		42. The certificate mentioned in section 41 shall not be issued by any Marriage Registrar, until one of the parties intending marriage appears personally before such Marriage Registrar, and makes oath- (a) that he or she believes that there is not any impediment of kindred or affinity, or other lawful hindrance, to the said marriage, and (b) that both the parties have, or (where they have dwelt in the districts of different Marriage Registrars) that the party making such oath has, had their, his or her usual place of abode within the district of such Marriage Registrar, and, where either or each of the parties is a minor, – (c) that the consent or consents to such marriage required by law has or have been obtained thereto, or that there is no person resident in Bangladesh authorized to give such consent, as the case may be.
	[Omitted]		43. [Omitted by the Schedule of the Adaptation of Central Acts and Ordinances Order, 1949.]
	Consent of father or guardian		44. The provisions of section 19 apply to every marriage under this Part, either of the parties to which is a minor;
	Protest against issue of certificate		and any person whose consent to such marriage would be required thereunder may enter a protest against the issue of the Marriage Registrar's certificate, by writing, at any time before the issue of such certificate, the word "forbidden" opposite to the entry of the notice of such intended marriage in the Marriage Notice Book, and by subscribing thereto his or her name and place of abode, and his or her position with respect to either of the parties, by reason of which he or she is so authorized.
	Effect of protest		When such protest has been entered, no certificate shall issue until the Marriage Registrar has examined into the matter of the protest, and is satisfied that it ought not to obstruct the issue of the certificate for the said marriage, or until the protest be withdrawn by the person who entered it.
	Petition where person whose consent is necessary is insane, or unjustly withholds consent		45. If any person whose consent is necessary to any marriage under this Part is of unsound mind, or if any such person (other than the father) without just cause withholds his consent to the marriage, the parties intending marriage may apply by petition, to the District Judge:
	Procedure on petition		And the said District Judge may examine the allegations of the petition in a summary way: And, if upon examination such marriage appears proper, such District Judge shall declare the marriage to be a proper marriage. Such declaration shall be as effectual as if the person whose consent was needed had consented to the marriage; and, if he has forbidden the issue of the Marriage Registrar's certificate, such certificate shall be issued and the like proceedings may be had under this Part in relation to the marriage as if the issue of such certificate had not been forbidden.
	Petition where Marriage Registrar refuses certificate Procedure on petition		46. Whenever a Marriage Registrar refuses to issue a certificate under this Part, either of the parties intending marriage may apply by petition to the District Judge. The said District Judge may examine the allegations of the petition in a summary way, and shall decide thereon. The decision of such District Judge shall be final, and the Marriage Registrar to whom the application for the issue of a certificate was originally made shall proceed in accordance therewith.
	[Omitted]		47. [Omitted by section 3 and 2nd Schedule of the Bangladesh Laws (Revision And Declaration) Act, 1973 (Act No. VIII of 1973).]
	Petition when Registrar doubts authority of person forbidding		48. Whenever a Marriage Registrar, acting under the provisions of section 44, is not satisfied that the person for- bidding the issue of the certificate is authorized by law so to do, the said Marriage Registrar shall apply by petition, to the District Judge.
	Procedure on petition		The said petition shall state all the circumstances of the case, and pray for the order and direction of the Court concerning the same, and the said District Judge shall examine into the allegations of the petition and the circumstances of the case; and if, upon such examination, it appears, that the person forbidding the issue of such certificate is not authorized by law so to do, such District Judge shall declare that the person forbidding the issue of such certificate is not authorized as aforesaid, and thereupon such certificate shall be issued, and the like proceedings may be had in relation to such marriage as if the issue had not been forbidden. 7[ * * *]
	Liability for frivolous protest against issue of certificate		49. Every person entering a protest with the Marriage Registrar, under this Part, against the issue of any certificate, on grounds which such Marriage Registrar, under section 44 or the District Judge, under section 45 or 46, declares to be frivolous and such as ought not to obstruct the issue of the certificate, shall be liable for the costs of all proceedings in relation thereto and for damages, to be recovered by suit by the person against whose marriage such protest was entered.
	Form of certificate		50. The certificate to be issued by the Marriage Registrar under the provisions of section 41 shall be in the form contained in the second schedule to this Act annexed or to the like effect, and the Government shall furnish to every Marriage Registrar a sufficient number of forms of certificate.
	Solemnization of marriage after issue of certificate		51. After the issue of the certificate of the Marriage Registrar, or, where notice is required to be given under this Act to the Marriage Registrars for different districts, after the issue of the certificates of the Marriage Registrars for such districts, marriage may, if there be no lawful impediment to the marriage of the parties described in such certificate or certificates, be solemnized between them, according to such form and ceremony as they think fit to adopt. But every such marriage shall be solemnized in the presence of some Marriage Registrar (to whom shall be delivered such certificate or certificates as aforesaid), and of two or more credible witnesses besides the Marriage Registrar. And in some part of the ceremony each of the parties shall declare as follows, or to the like effect:- "I do solemnly declare that I know not of any lawful impediment why I, A. B., may not be joined in matrimony to C. D." And each of the parties shall say to the other as follows or to the like effect:– "I call upon these persons here present to witness that I, A. B., do take thee, C. D., to be my lawful wedded wife [or husband]."
	When marriage not had within two months after notice, new notice required		52. Whenever a marriage is not solemnized within two months after the copy of the notice has been entered by the Marriage Registrar, as required by section 40, the notice and the certificate, if any, issued thereupon, and all other proceedings thereupon, shall be void; and no person shall proceed to solemnize the marriage, nor shall any Marriage Registrar enter the same, until new notice has been given, and entry made, and certificate thereof given, at the time and in the manner aforesaid.
	Marriage Registrar may ask for particulars to be registered		53. A Marriage Registrar before whom any marriage is solemnized under this Part may ask of the person to be married the several particulars required to be registered touching such marriage.
	Registration of marriage solemnized under Part V		54. After the solemnization of any marriage under this Part, the Marriage Registrar present at such solemnization shall forthwith register the marriage in duplicate; that is to say, in a marriage-register-book, according to the form of the fourth schedule hereto annexed, and also in a certificate attached to the marriage-register-book as a counterfoil. The entry of such marriage in both the certificate and the marriage-register-book shall be signed by the person by or before whom the marriage has been solemnized, if there be any such person, and by the Marriage Registrar present at such marriage, whether or not it is solemnized by him, and also by the parties married, and attested by two credible witnesses other than the Marriage Registrar and person solemnizing the marriage. Every such entry shall be made in order from the beginning to the end of the book, and the number of the certificate shall correspond with that of the entry in the marriage register-book.
	Certificates to be sent monthly to Registrar General		55. The Marriage Registrar shall forthwith separate the certificate from the marriage-register-book and send it, at the end of every month, to the Registrar General of Births, Deaths and Marriages.
	Custody of register-book		The Marriage Registrar shall keep safely the said register-book until it is filled, and shall then send it to the Registrar General of Births, Deaths and Marriages, to be kept by him with the records of his office.
	[Omitted]		56. [Omitted by the Bangladesh Laws (Revision And Declaration) Act, 1973 (Act No. VIII of 1973), section 3 and 2nd Schedule.]
	Registrars to ascertain that notice and certificate are understood by Native Christians		57. When any Native Christian about to be married gives a notice of marriage, or applies for a certificate from a Marriage Registrar, such Marriage Registrar shall ascertain whether the said Native Christian understands the English language, and, if he does not, the Marriage Registrar shall translate, or cause to be translated, such notice or certificate, or both of them, as the case may be, to such Native Christian into a language which he understands; or the Marriage Registrar shall otherwise ascertain whether the Native Christian is cognizant of the purport and effect of the said notice and certificate.
	Native Christians to be made to understand declarations		58. When any Native Christian is married under the provisions of this Part, the person solemnizing the marriage shall ascertain whether such Native Christian understands the English language, and, if he does not, the person solemnizing the marriage shall, at the time of the solemnization, translate, or cause to be translated, to such Native Christian, into a language which he understands, the declarations made at such marriage in accordance with the provisions of this Act.
	Registration of marriages between Native Christians		59. The registration of marriages between Native Christians under this Part shall be made in conformity with the rules laid down in section 37 (so far as they are applicable), and not otherwise.
			PART VI MARRIAGE OF NATIVE CHRISTIANS
	On what conditions marriages of Native Christians may be certified		60. Every marriage between Native Christians applying for a certificate shall, without the preliminary notice required under Part III, be certified under this Part, if the following conditions be fulfilled, and not otherwise:– (1) the age of the man intending to be married shall exceed sixteen years, and the age of the woman intending to be married shall exceed thirteen years; (2) neither of the persons intending to be married shall have a wife or husband still living; (3) in the presence of a person licensed under section 9, and of at least two credible witnesses other than such person, each of the parties shall say to the other – "I call upon these persons here present to witness that I, A. B., in the presence of Almighty God, and in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, do take thee, C. D., to be my lawful wedded wife [or husband]" or words to the like effect: Provided that no marriage shall be certified under this Part when either of the parties intending to be married has not completed his or her eighteenth year, unless such consent as is mentioned in section 19 has been given to the intended marriage, or unless it appears that there is no person living authorized to give such consent.
	Grant of certificate		61. When, in respect to any marriage solemnized under this Part, the conditions prescribed in section 60 have been fulfiled, the person licensed as aforesaid, in whose presence the said declaration has been made, shall, on the application of either of the parties to such marriage, and on the payment of a fee of four annas, grant a certificate of the marriage. The certificate shall be signed by such licensed person, and shall be received in any suit touching the validity of such marriage as conclusive proof of its having been performed.
	Keeping of register-book and deposit of extracts therefrom with Registrar General		62. (1) Every person licensed under section 9 shall keep in English, or in the 8[ Bangla language], and in such form as the Government, by which he was licensed may from time to time prescribe, a register-book of all marriages solemnized under this Part in his presence, and shall deposit in the office of the Registrar General of Births, Deaths and Marriages for the territories under the administration of the said Government in such form and at such intervals as that Government may prescribe, true and duly authenticated extracts form his register-book of all entries made therein since the last of those intervals. 9[ * * *]
	Searches in register-book and copies of entries		63. Every person licensed under this Act to grant certificates of marriage, and keeping a marriage-register-book under section 62, shall, at all reasonable times, allow search to be made in such book, and shall, on payment of the proper fee, give a copy, certified under his hand, of an entry therein.
	Books in which marriages of Native Christians under Part I or Part III are registered		64. The provisions of sections 62 and 63, as to form of the register-book, depositing extracts therefrom, allowing searches thereof, and giving copies of the entries therein, shall, mutatis mutandis, apply to the books kept under section 37.
	Part VI not to apply to Roman Catholics Saving of certain marriages		65. This Part of this Act, except so much of sections 62 and 63 as are referred to in section 64, shall not apply to marriages between Roman Catholics. But nothing herein contained shall invalidate any marriage celebrated between Roman Catholics under the provisions of Part V of Act No. XXV of 1864, previous to the twenty-third day of February, 1865.
			PART VII PENALTIES
	False oath, declaration, notice or certificate for procuring marriage		66. Whoever, for the purpose of procuring a marriage or license of marriage, intentionally,- (a) where an oath or declaration is required by this Act, or by any rule or custom of a Church according to the rites and ceremonies of which a marriage is intended to be solemnized, such Church being the Church of England or of Scotland or of Rome, makes a false oath or declaration, or, (b) where a notice or certificate is required by this Act, signs a false notice or certificate, shall be deemed to have committed the offence punishable under section 193 of the 10[ Penal Code] with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to three years and, at the discretion of the Court, with fine.
	Forbidding, by false personation, issue of certificate by Marriage Registrar		67. Whoever forbids the issue, by a Marriage Registrar, of a certificate, by falsely representing himself to be a person whose consent to the marriage is required by law, knowing or believing such representation to be false, or not having reason to believe it to be true, shall be deemed guilty of the offence described in section 205 of the 11[ Penal Code].
	Solemnizing marriage without due authority		68. Whoever, not being authorized by section 5 of this Act to solemnize marriages, solemnizes or professes to solemnize in the absence of a Marriage Registrar of the district in which the ceremony takes place, a marriage between persons one or both of whom is or are a Christian or Christians, shall be punished with imprisonment which may extend to ten years, or (in lieu of a sentence of imprisonment for seven years or upwards) with transportation for a term of not less than seven years, and not exceeding ten years, and shall also be liable to fine.
	Solemnizing marriage out of proper time, or without witnesses		69. Whoever knowingly and wilfuly solemnizes a marriage between persons one or both of whom is or are a Christian or Christians, at any time other than between the hours of six in the morning and seven in the evening, or in the absence of at least two credible witnesses other than the person solemnizing the marriage, shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years, and shall also be liable to fine.
	Saving of marriages solemnized under special license		This section does not apply to marriages solemnized under special licenses granted by the Anglican Bishop of Diocese or by his Commissary, not to marriages performed between the hours of seven in the evening and six in the morning by a Clergyman of the Church of Rome, when he has received the general or special license in that behalf mentioned in section 10. Nor does this section apply to marriages solemnized by a Clergyman of the Church of Scotland according to the rules, rites, ceremonies and customs of the Church of Scotland.
	Solemnizing without notice or within fourteen days after notice, marriage with minor		70. Any Minister of Religion licensed to solemnize marriages under this Act, who, without a notice in writing, or, when one of the parties to the marriage is a minor, and the required consent of the parents or guardians to such marriage has not been obtained, within fourteen days after the receipt by him of notice of such marriage, knowingly and wilfully solemnizes a marriage under Part III, shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years, and shall also be liable to fine.
	Issuing certificate, or marrying without publication of notice; marrying after expiry of notice; solemnizing marriage with minor within fourteen days without authority of Court, or without sending copy of notice; issuing cert		71. A Marriage Registrar under this Act, who commits any of the following offences:– (1) knowingly and wilfuly issues any certificate for marriage, or solemnizes any marriage, without publishing the notice of such marriage as directed by this Act; (2) after the expiration of two months after the copy of the notice has been entered as required by section 40 in respect of any marriage, solemnizes such marriage; (3) solemnizes, without any order of a competent Court authorizing him to do so, any marriage, when one of the parties is a minor, before the expiration of fourteen days after the receipt of the notice of such marriage, or without sending, by the post or otherwise, a copy of such notice to the Senior Marriage Registrar of the district if there be more Marriage Registrars of the district than one, and if he himself be not the Senior Marriage Registrar; (4) issues any certificate the issue of which has been prohibited, as in this Act provided, by any person authorized to prohibit the issue thereof, shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to five years, and shall also be liable to fine.
	Issuing certificate after expiry of notice, or, in case of minor, within fourteen days after notice, or against authorized prohibition		72. Any Marriage Registrar knowingly and wilfuly issuing any certificate for marriage after the expiration of two months after the notice has been entered by him as aforesaid, or knowingly and wilfuly issuing, without the order of a competent Court authorizing him so to do, any certificate for marriage, where one of the parties intending marriage is a minor, before the expiration of fourteen days after the entry of such notice, or any certificate the issue of which has been forbidden as aforesaid by any person authorized in this behalf, shall be deemed to have committed an offence under section 166 of the 12[ Penal Code].
	Persons authorized to solemnize marriage (other than Clergy of Churches of England, Scotland or Rome);		73. Whoever, being authorized under this Act to solemnize a marriage, and not being a Clergyman of the Church of England, solemnizing a marriage after due publication of banns, or under a license from the Anglican Bishop of the Diocese or a Surrogate duly authorized in that behalf, or, not being a Clergyman of the Church of Scotland, solemnizing a marriage according to the rules, rites, ceremonies and customs of that church, or, not being a Clergyman of the Church of Rome, solemnizing a marriage according to the rites, rules, ceremonies and customs of that church,
	issuing certificate or marrying, without publishing notice, or after expiry of certificate;		knowingly and wilfully issues any certificate for marriage under this Act, or solemnizes any marriage between such persons as aforesaid, without publishing, or causing to be affixed, the notice of such marriage as directed in Part III of this Act, or after the expiration of two months after the certificate has been issued by him;
	issuing certificate for, or solemnizing, marriage with minor, within fourteen days after notice;		or knowingly and wilfully issues any certificate for marriage, or solemnizes a marriage between such persons when one of the persons intending marriage is a minor, before the expiration of fourteen days after the receipt of notice of such marriage, or without sending, by the post or otherwise, a copy of such notice to the Marriage Registrar, or, if there be more Marriage Registrars than one, to the Senior Marriage Registrar of the district;
	issuing certificate authorizedly forbidden;		or knowingly and wilfully issues any certificate the issue of which has been forbidden, under this Act, by any person authorized to forbid the issue;
	solemnizing marriage authorizedly forbidden		or knowingly and wilfully solemnizes any marriage forbidden by any person authorized to forbid the same; shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to four years, and shall also be liable to fine.
	Unlicensed person granting certificate pretending to be licensed		74. Whoever, not being licensed to grant a certificate of marriage under Part VI of this Act, grants such certificate intending thereby to make it appear that he is so licensed, shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to five years, and shall also be liable to fine. Whoever, being licensed to grant certificates of marriage under Part VI of this Act, without just cause refuses, or wilfully neglects or omits, to perform any of the duties imposed upon him by that Part shall be punished with fine which may extend to one hundred taka.
	Destroying or falsifying register-books		75. Whoever, by himself or another, wilfully destroys or injures any register-book or the counterfoil certificates thereof, or any part thereof, or any authenticated extract therefrom, or falsely makes or counterfeits any part of such register-book or counterfoil certificates, or wilfully inserts any false entry in any such register-book or counterfoil certificate or authenticated extract, shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to seven years, and shall also be liable to fine.
	Limitation of prosecutions under Act		76. The prosecution for every offence punishable under this Act shall be commenced within two years after the offence is committed.
			PART VIII MISCELLANEOUS
	What matters need not be proved in respect of marriage in accordance with Act		77. Whenever any marriage has been solemnized in accordance with the provisions of sections 4 and 5, it shall not be void merely on account of any irregularity in respect of any of the following matters, namely:– (1) any statement made in regard to the dwelling of the persons married, or to the consent of any person whose consent to such marriage is required by law: (2) the notice of the marriage: (3) the certificate or translation thereof: (4) the time and place at which the marriage has been solemnized: (5) the registration of the marriage.
	Correction of errors		78. Every person charged with the duty of registering any marriage, who discovers any error in the form or substance of any such entry, may, within one month next after the discovery of such error, in the presence of the persons married, or, in case of their death or absence, in the presence of two other credible witnesses, correct the error, by entry in the margin, without any alteration of the original entry, and shall sign the marginal entry, and add thereto the date of such correction, and such person shall make the like marginal entry in the certificate thereof. And every entry made under this section shall be attested by the witnesses in whose presence it was made. And in case such certificate has been already sent to the Registrar General of Births, Deaths and Marriages, such person shall make and send in like manner a separate certificate of the original erroneous entry, and of the marginal correction therein made.
	Searches and copies of entries		79. Every person solemnizing a marriage under this Act, and hereby required to register the same, and every Marriage Registrar or Registrar General of Births, Deaths and Marriages having the custody for the time being of any register of marriages, or of any certificate, or duplicate or copies of certificate, under this Act, shall, on payment of proper fees, at all reasonable times allow searches to be made in such register, or for such certificate, or duplicate, or copies, and give a copy under his hand of any entry in the same.
	Certified copy of entry in marriage-register, etc, to be evidence		80. Every certified copy, purporting to be signed by the person entrusted under this Act with the custody of any marriage register or certificate, or duplicate, required to be kept or delivered under this Act, of an entry of a marriage in such register, or of any such certificate or duplicate, shall be received as evidence of the marriage purporting to be so entered, or of the facts purporting to be so certified therein, without further proof of such register or certificate, or duplicate, or of any entry therein, respectively, or of such copy.
	Certificates of certain marriages for Government		81. The Registrar General of Births, Deaths, and Marriages 13[ * * *] shall, at the end of every quarter in each year, select, from the certificates of marriages forwarded to 14[ Him], during such quarter, the certificates of the marriages of which the Government 15[ * * *] may desire that evidence shall be transmitted to England, and shall send the same certificates, signed by 16[ Him] to the Government.
	Government to prescribe fees		82. Fees shall be chargeable under this Act for- receiving and publishing notices of marriages; issuing certificates for marriage by Marriage Registrars, and registering marriages by the same; entering protests against, or prohibitions of, the issue of certificates for marriage by the said Registrars; searching register-books or certificates, or duplicates of copies thereof; giving copies of entries in the same under section 63 and 79. The Government shall fix the amount of such fees respectively, and may from time to time vary or remit them either generally or in special cases, as to it may seem fit.
	Power to make rules		83. The Government may make rules in regard to the disposal of the fees mentioned in section 82, the supply of register-books, and the preparation and submission of returns of marriages solemnized under this Act.
	[Omitted]		84. [Omitted by section 3 and 2nd Schedule of the Bangladesh Laws (Revision And Declaration) Act, 1973 (Act No. VIII of 1973).]
	Power to declare who shall be District Judge		85. The Government may, by notification in the official Gazette, declare who shall, in any place to which this Act applies, be deemed to be the District Judge.
	[Omitted]		86. [Omitted by section 3 and 2nd Schedule of the Bangladesh Laws (Revision And Declaration) Act, 1973 (Act No. VIII of 1973).]
	Saving of Consular marriages		87. Nothing in this Act applies to any marriage performed by any Minister, Consul or Consular Agent between subjects of the State which he represents and according to the laws of such State.
	Non-validation of marriages within prohibited degrees		88. Nothing in this Act shall be deemed to validate any marriage which the personal law applicable to either of the parties forbids him or her to enter into.