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Video Editor: Deepthi Ramdas
Camera: Abhishek Ranjan
Farah* and Gautam* (names changed to protect identities) met in college in June 2011. When they fell in love a few months later, their religious identities did not matter to them – despite some raised eyebrows.
But when they decided to get married, seven years after they fell in love, their faith became the central aspect of their life, and their decisions going forward.
While Farah’s family – who were practicing Muslims – disowned her, Gautam’s family said that they “would never let the union formalise.”
The Special Marriage Act, 1954, allows registration of marriages like Farah and Gautam’s – which is not permitted by the personal laws of their practicing religions. The couple, too, wanted to get married, without converting from their respective religions.
It also requires the marriage officer in their respective area to first issue a 30-day public notice – with all their details like name, occupation, age and address. Through the notice, the marriage officer invites public to raise objections to their union, if any.
Their petition argues that “objections can be mitigated on the basis of certificates issued by government hospitals” and that the procedure seeking public objection is not only discriminatory in nature but also intends to discourage interfaith marriages like theirs.
Any citizen of India can raise an objection to their marriage and once submitted before the marriage officer, their application to get married goes under review. Only after the ‘said objections’ are cleared is the couple allowed to marry. This process could take years, say the couple.
Their petition states that it is “of paramount importance in the current scenario that couples opting for cross-community marriages are adequately protected.”
“We fell in love with each other. For the people we are. If others want to think, let them think... We have to do what we want to do. We have to live openly. There’s no need to fear anyone,” say the couple, even as they tied the knot after completing their 30-day notice period.
No one raised an objection to their union with the marriage office. But, not all couples are that “lucky”, they say, as they continue to fight their petition in court – for couples like them.
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