Now Reading: Voter list entry not proof of valid Hindu marriage: Patna HC
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Voter list entry not proof of valid Hindu marriage: Patna HC
The Patna High Court has ruled that an entry in the voter list showing a person as a spouse is not conclusive proof of a valid Hindu marriage. LiveLaw reports that a…
The Story in Brief
The Patna High Court has ruled that an entry in the voter list showing a person as a spouse is not conclusive proof of a valid Hindu marriage. LiveLaw reports that a Division Bench dismissed an appeal by Durgawati Devi, who claimed to have married her deceased husband's younger brother after the elder brother's death. The court noted she failed to provide details of the marriage ceremony, such as date, place, rituals performed, or names of the priest. Without evidence of rites like saptapadi or sindurdaan, the court held the marriage was not proved under the Hindu Marriage Act. The earlier maintenance order was not binding on the question of marriage validity.
The Indian Opinion
The ruling counteracts the lazy notion that a voter list entry is enough to prove a marriage. Courts have long held that Hindu marriage requires specific rites, and the judge's insistence on evidence of saptapadi or sindurdaan is legally sound. This judgment will test whether litigants in maintenance cases now gather stronger ceremonial proof instead of relying on convenient entries in electoral rolls. A pointed question remains: will the Election Commission tighten verification for listing spouses on voter lists?
Source: livelaw.in
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
