Sikh Anand Karaj Marriage Act recognises the Sikh marriage ceremony, Anand Karaj, as legally valid marriage
Updated On – 28 March 2025, 12:54 AM
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Hyderabad: The president of Puratan Gurudwara Sahib Asha Singh Bagh Saheedan Singh Asthan, Kishanbagh, Hyderabad, S Harpal Singh Ranjan on Thursday urged the State government to implement Sikh Anand Karaj Marriage Act, which recognises the Sikh marriage ceremony, Anand Karaj, as legally valid marriage.
The Anand Karaj Marriage Act holds significant importance to the Sikh community, specifically regulates ceremonies and was established to provide legal recognition and protection to Sikh marriages. Essentially, the Act, allows Sikh couples to ensure that their marriages are legally valid, according to their religious customs and traditions, Harpal Singh said.
He said that recently he had approached Telangana High Court. “The High Court also has issued orders directing the concerned authorities in Telangana State to implement the Anand Karaj Act as soon as possible,” he said.
According to Harpal Singh Ranjan, the Anand Karaj Act is already being implemented by many State governments including Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Chandigarh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Assam etc.
Passed by the Parliament in 2012, the Anand Karaj (Amendment) Bill brings Sikh traditional marriages under the purview of legal recognition. “Sikh Couples who register their marriages under this Act, do not need to register their marriage under Registration of Births, Marriages and Deaths Act, 199 or any other Act currently in force,” Harpal Singh Ranjan added.
